Hon. Vanterpool says he and his ministry are devoted to decreasing water related problems in the Virgin Islands. Photo: VINO/ File

Minister of Communication and Works Hon. Mark Vanterpool. Photo: VINO/ File

Presented in the House of Assembly on June 29, 2012, Hon. Vanterpool disclosed some of the challenges that impact the VI’s water supply along with some solutions.

According to the Minister, some of the challenges faced are: breakage of pipes which causes leaks to occur, lack of storage capacity at some reservoirs, the need to refurbish or even build new reservoirs, (especially on the western end of the island), production levels of some water plants and the need to increase the size of the distribution pipes.

In regular contact with the management of WSD in efforts to regulate those problems, the Minister and his Ministry have adopted immediate measures such as: pumping additional water from the Hodge’s Creek Reservoir to supply customers from Paraquita Bay to Fish Bay, commenced construction of the water pump station in the Cox Heath area and slight changes made in Virgin Gorda.

Hon. Vanterpool stated that along with those immediate solutions, other changes to be made to enhance the supply of clean water through Tortola and the VI are the replacement of existing 4-inch pipes with 6-inch ones, identifying ways to increase current production levels at water plants, refurbish some existing reservoirs such as the Cappoon’s Bay facility and the Old Zion Hill reservoir, interconnecting the water supply from Harrigan Estate to MacNamara residents and introducing more pressure reducing valves, air valves and strainers to better increase the efficiency of the water systems.

In his address, the Minister further disclosed that with arrangements in the Biwater contract, his expectations are that many of those problems will cease to exist.

Hon. Vanterpool said with those changes, a focused project team will be appointed to review and implement the necessary water solutions.

He assured the Territory that he and his Ministry are devoted to “implement workable solutions that are designed to fix the issues that now plague our water supply system.”