Residents of Cooks Extension and Golden Grove Extension welcomed Minister of Information, Communications Technologies, Utilities & Energy, Melford Nicholas, on Friday as he conducted a walkthrough of the communities to hear firsthand about their longstanding water challenges.

For more than 15 years, households in both areas have been without APUA piped water due to the land developer’s failure to install the required infrastructure. This gap has left families relying on costly and inconsistent alternatives, creating daily hardship and significantly affecting their quality of life.

Minister Nicholas and Senator Michael Joseph

Minister Nicholas’ visit provided an opportunity for residents to directly share their experiences, frustrations, and hopes. Many expressed appreciation for the chance to finally engage face-to-face with the minister about an issue that has impacted them for over a decade.

The walkthrough underscored the government’s renewed commitment to closing infrastructure gaps and ensuring that every community in Antigua and Barbuda has access to reliable running water. According to residents present, the visit signaled a clear intention from both Minister Nicholas and Prime Minister Gaston Browne to prioritize solutions for these long-neglected areas.

Officials say the next step includes a coordinated plan to install the necessary water infrastructure and bring the communities fully onto the APUA network—an important milestone in the wider national push for water rehabilitation and equitable access.

Minister Nicholas and Senator Michael Joseph

As families in Cooks Extension and Golden Grove Extension await tangible progress, Friday’s engagement has given many of them new hope that, after 15 years without running water, relief may finally be on the horizon.