Antigua and Barbuda could be within reach of a round-the-clock water supply within 18 months as upgrades to production, distribution and storage advance, Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas says.

Speaking on Pointe FM, Nicholas expressed confidence that the work planned by the Antigua Public Utilities Authority would bring that goal closer.

“I imagine that within 18 months, the promise of 7 by 24 water would be within our reach. I am confident about that,” he said.

His projection depends on completing several projects, including a water monitoring and control system known as SCADA, new transmission pipes and expanded storage.

Nicholas said about six miles of a planned 14-mile transmission system had been completed, leaving another eight miles to be installed.

He also outlined plans for a reverse osmosis plant at Crabbs, which would be developed in two phases. Each phase is expected to add 1.6 million gallons of water daily, for a combined increase of 3.2 million gallons.

Nicholas said water production had remained above 8 million gallons a day, even without the contribution previously available from Potworks Dam and wells. Those sources together had supplied about 1.6 million gallons daily, he said.

Despite the increased production, Nicholas acknowledged that some communities continued to experience interruptions.

He identified cloudy water conditions affecting the Fort James facility as a challenge for the Villa, Point and Fort Road areas. A new transmission line through Cedar Valley would allow water from Barnacle Point to supplement supplies to those communities, he said.

Nicholas said residents’ reports about interruptions and the timing of supply were being monitored.

While he described the improvements as significant, he acknowledged that the system had not yet reached the level the government wanted.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Round-the-clock water supply within reach in 18 months, Antigua and Barbuda minister says.