The Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) is set to launch a new fault management system aimed at improving response times and cutting water wastage, as it struggles to manage more than 700 water-related faults each month.

Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas disclosed that while the electricity division of APUA has long operated with an effective ticketing system, the water division has lacked a similar mechanism—leading to delays in repairs and unresolved faults across communities.

“There were no trouble tickets being opened or closed with timelines,” Nicholas said. “That was part of the problem.”

A new fault tracking system is expected to be introduced within weeks, enabling more efficient management of reported issues and ensuring timely deployment of repair crews. The minister said it will also help identify and address repeat faults, which have long plagued the network.

One example cited was the community of Fitches Creek, where high pressure in the distribution line—up to 120 psi—had caused extensive leakage and burst pipes. Water loss in the area reached as high as 70 percent, but was dramatically reduced to below 20 percent after a pressure-reducing valve was installed.

“That problem went away simply because we applied the proper treatment,” Nicholas noted.

The new system will also aim to raise the quality of repairs by holding managers accountable for recurring faults. “We have to make sure we’re not repairing the same issue two or three times,” he said.