Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas says he wants specialists working in St. Kitts and Nevis to drill wells at Fort James to help address recurring cloudy water conditions affecting water production.

Speaking on Taking Stock on Pointe FM on Nov. 10, Nicholas said he had observed well-drilling and water-treatment operations during a visit to the neighbouring federation.

He said a visit to a well site in Nevis exposed him to methods used to treat water containing manganese. He also expressed interest in bringing the drilling specialists to Antigua.

“The people who are doing the drilling in St. Kitts and in Nevis, I want them here to be able to do some drilling of some wells at Fort James,” Nicholas said.

The proposal forms part of efforts to address turbidity — cloudiness caused by suspended particles in water — at the Fort James reverse osmosis facility.

Nicholas said the problem had contributed to supply interruptions affecting the Villa, Point and Fort Road areas.

To supplement supplies, he said APUA was moving water between production areas, supported by a new transmission line through Cedar Valley that would allow water from Barnacle Point to reach the affected communities.

Nicholas described his observations in St. Kitts and Nevis as an example of how Caribbean utilities could share expertise and learn from each other.

He did not announce a drilling contract, project cost or start date, or say whether technical studies had established the suitability of wells at Fort James.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Well drilling explored to tackle recurring Fort James water problems.