Antigua and Barbuda have been experiencing some relief from water rationing.
However, the authorities have urged residents to continue their water conservation practices, as water rationing may return in mid-2024.
The current water storage in catchments across the country is sufficient for six months, as per Ian Lewis, the Water Business Manager at the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA).
What happens after this period is dependent on the amount of rainfall received in the next few months to replenish the catchments. Lewis stated that if there is no rainfall providing runoff to replenish the surface water reservoirs by June next year, then the conservation schedule may resume.
Currently, Potworks Dam is supplying an average of 700,000 gallons of water to households daily, which is about 9% of the 8 million gallons of daily local demand. Presently, the Delaps Water Treatment Plant treats the surface water resource and supplies approximately 600 to 800 thousand gallons per day into the distribution system.
Tropical Storm Phillipe and Hurricane Tammy caused torrential rains over the past two months, leading to a significant increase in water levels of catchments across the twin island nation.
Currently, there are eight reverse osmosis plants operational in Antigua, located at Crabbs, Shell Beach, Fort James, Ffryes, Camp Blizzard, Pigeon Point, Bendals and Delaps. As per Lewis, the plants located at Crabbs, Shell Beach and Delaps are the major contributors, producing 4.0, 1.7, and 1.5 million gallons of water, respectively.
I’m still getting water rations…no water since Saturday so yh….it is still happening.