“Water Is Not a Luxury” — UPP Promises Emergency Relief if Elected into Office

Calling the ongoing water crisis an “indignity,” UPP leader Jamale Pringle has pledged immediate relief measures for households facing inconsistent water supply.

Pringle described scenes of families waking in the early hours to fill buckets, parents unable to bathe their children before school, and elderly citizens waiting for water that may never come.

“This is not inconvenience. This is indignity,” he said.

He announced plans to remove all taxes on water tanks, pumps and pressure systems to help households cope while long-term solutions are implemented.

The UPP also intends to accelerate pipeline expansion, improve maintenance of reverse osmosis plants and activate existing community water storage tanks.

Pringle said the goal is simple: reliable, 24/7 access to water across Antigua and Barbuda.

The government has invested millions of dollars into improving the government’s water issues, which continues to be a great challenge.

APUA has said that compared to recent years, water is not a scarce commodity like it used to be.

Meanwhile, all this comes as APUA has introduced a Utility Amnesty Programme targeting residential customers whose electricity, water, or telephone services have been disconnected for more than 180 days.

The initiative follows a Cabinet decision taken in April 2026 by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and is intended to allow affected households to restore access to essential utility services.

According to APUA, customers whose services were disconnected on or before September 30, 2025, are eligible to apply under the programme. The authority is encouraging those affected to take advantage of the amnesty to regularize their accounts and reconnect their services.