Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

New state-of-the-art water reservoirs to be installed @ Carrot Bay & Zion Hill

- project being executed by local company Autland Heavy Equipment Company Limited
Zion Hill Reservoir. The water woes long endured by residents in the First District will soon come to an end with the installation of state-of-the-art reservoirs at Zion Hill and Carrot Bay, on the western end of Tortola. Photo: VINO
The water plant at Cappoons Bay, owned and operated by Aqua Design Ltd, will continue to supply the reservoirs with water for community distribution. Photo: VINO
The water plant at Cappoons Bay, owned and operated by Aqua Design Ltd, will continue to supply the reservoirs with water for community distribution. Photo: VINO
Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, who is also the First District Representative, said the contract signing for the building of the reservoirs ‘is good news to the people of the First District who have seen many projects started with the intention of fixing the water woes over the years. Photo: Facebook
Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, who is also the First District Representative, said the contract signing for the building of the reservoirs ‘is good news to the people of the First District who have seen many projects started with the intention of fixing the water woes over the years. Photo: Facebook
Mr Autley Crabbe, left, and son Mr Deon K. Crabbe, right, of Autland Heavy Equipment Company Limited sign the contract for the installation of state-of-the-art reservoirs at Zion Hill and Carrot Bay, on the western end of Tortola. Centre is Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities, Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5). Photo: Facebook
Mr Autley Crabbe, left, and son Mr Deon K. Crabbe, right, of Autland Heavy Equipment Company Limited sign the contract for the installation of state-of-the-art reservoirs at Zion Hill and Carrot Bay, on the western end of Tortola. Centre is Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities, Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5). Photo: Facebook
ZION HILL, Tortola, VI- The water woes long endured by residents in the First District will soon come to an end with the installation of state-of-the-art reservoirs at Zion Hill and Carrot Bay, on the western end of Tortola.

The project was awarded by the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) to local company Autland Heavy Equipment Company Limited through funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Scope of work

The scope of work, according to Mr John Primo, Director of Procurement at the RDA, includes, but it is not limited to, construction of water tanks with ancillary piping and fittings, along with the distribution systems, supply and installation of bulk flow meters, customer water meters, data loggers, pressure sensors and pressure reducing valves and restoration of roads, drains, curbs and all areas affected by the construction works.

“This is the second signing for this week with the value of these works costing approximately $2.5M.

“Through these contracts, Government intends to inject a further $3.1M into the economy,” Mr Primo said at the contract signing on May 7, 2020, adding that procurement was done in accordance with CDB procurement policies.

747,282-gallon capacity

According to Minister for Transportation Works and Utilities, Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5), works will be conducted in stages, starting with Carrot Bay. He said the Zion Hill reservoir currently supplies Carrot Bay with potable water.

The Minister said 2 of 3 tanks will be installed at Carrot Bay and will have a combined capacity of 645,702 gallons and the other one at Zion Hill, which will have a capacity of 101,580 gallons.

He said the total capacity of the reservoirs will be 747,282 gallons, which is half of the total 1.5m gallon capacity under the CDB loan.

Hon Rymer added that tanks will be erected using a Pre-cast Glass-fused-to-steel water storage. The bolted technology combined with specialised jacking system will enable the tank to be built very quickly without dangerous scaffolding or expensive crane time.

Additionally, he said the corrosion-resistant glass-fused-to-steel interior and exterior surface will eliminate the need for costly sandblasting and repainting which will significantly reduce lifetime maintenance cost.

Two 26 ft high retaining walls to protect the reservoirs throughout their design life will be installed at Carrot Bay.

The water plant at Cappoons Bay, owned and operated by Aqua Design Ltd, will continue to supply the reservoirs with water for community distribution.

‘Erase your shame’- Premier Fahie

Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, who is also the First District Representative, said water woes have existed for a while in the First District and that the people have been constantly complaining about the lack of access to the public water supply.

“One lady even told me that it is a shame that I am the Minister of Finance and we have these issues. So I can tell her now when I go home today to erase your shame and start to get your buckets to put away because the water, after these reservoirs are fixed by the capable contracts that won the bid…, the Minister will have water flowing through the taps because now we will have access to it.”

Hon Fahie said the contract signing for the building of the reservoirs “is good news to the people of the First District who have seen many projects started with the water woes over the years to fix them but they never came to an amicable end.”

He said this time he is confident, with all the players involved, the issues would be resolved.

17 Responses to “New state-of-the-art water reservoirs to be installed @ Carrot Bay & Zion Hill”

  • Wiw (08/05/2020, 18:07) Like (7) Dislike (4) Reply
    VIP doing work and still dealing with this virus. One direction forward!!!
    • Question mark? (09/05/2020, 17:54) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Is it the government or the RDA that is doing these projects?
      Just asking?
      • fact check (09/05/2020, 18:26) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
        This was a discussion point before 2011-2019. It is a national project - national projects should always continue because they are meant to improve the standard of living of residents. If NDP had allowed the plant at paraquita bay to finish up the water programme we would not still be in this mess and the plant would have been ours in the next 5-7 years. Come off the high horse and offer solutions that would help our country.
  • Dih (08/05/2020, 18:18) Like (4) Dislike (6) Reply
    Of course because that’s in district 1
  • facts (08/05/2020, 18:49) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    Mehson vip ah work
  • 1st District (08/05/2020, 19:00) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    And more unaccounted water under ground pass the meter!
  • green land (08/05/2020, 20:31) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Wat happened to east ..........
    • sheep (09/05/2020, 15:39) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      @ green land
      ask penn; also ask Him about the eight million dollars that went through house of assembly for the sewage project. No project. No money. No one gone HMP
  • Take A Leak (09/05/2020, 00:22) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    Whats all this state-of-the-art stuff. It's a water tank! Been around for a few thousand Years. Welcome to the year 2020, the year of perfect vision, yes , it's a container designed to hold and store water if water is available to fill the the tank in the first place
  • Rubber Duck (09/05/2020, 05:32) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    26 foot retaking walls ? That is not going to look good in the last unspoiled village in Tortola.
  • Dulce (09/05/2020, 06:50) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Yeah ,ok.
    Hope water is still wet by the time this happens.
    And that there is no longer toxic smoke from Pockwood Pond area works.
  • Dulce (09/05/2020, 06:56) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Liking those nationalistic face masks in picture #3.
  • thank you (09/05/2020, 08:14) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    I only have to say thank you so much that during the curfews we had water everyday. Thank to all those who made this possible. I hope those who had water issues would be sorted out soon.

    VIP is doing a remarkable job!!! Thank you Ministers !!!
  • home grown (09/05/2020, 10:51) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Can this reservoir with stand hurricane force wind and earthquake?
  • Charley Rose (09/05/2020, 13:22) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    I have said it many times that the solution to the water woes in the territory is for more reservoirs to be constructed store the water. Now that these tanks are to be constructed, I would hope that the residents will make good use of the water when in becomes available. I think wall that will be constructed on the site will assist to secure the structure from hurricane and erosion.

    To the residents in the areas where water will become available, I do hope that they will take full advantage of the opportunity and start back-yard gardens to provide fruits and vegetables for their respective communities. As we are experiencing the COVID-19 virus, I am sure that more residents will cultivate every available space around their properties with cash crops such as tomatoes, eggplant and ochroes. Those of you who do not have much land space can start container garden.

    There can be no excuse that water is a problem. Those of you who visit your relatives in New York City and other states would notice that they do not have land space and yet they have back-yard gardens


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.