The expansion of the University of the West Indies Five Islands campus has prompted the government to plan for the provision of potable water.

To address the growing demand, the Cabinet decided to install a Reverse Osmosis Plant at Five Islands, which will supply water to the increasing number of students, faculty, and staff. This plant will also provide potable water to hotels and nearby communities.

The Cabinet spokesman, Ambassador Lionel Max Hurst, estimated that the population of UWI Five Islands Campus will exceed 5,000 students in five years, leading to a significant increase in the demand for water.

This, along with the planned new hotels in the area, would require more gallons of potable water daily. To meet this demand, an American firm, with a branch in Trinidad and Tobago, is in talks with APUA and the government to supply 2 million gallons of reverse osmosis water every day.

The company would construct two Reverse Osmosis Plants, and the additional water would be available to consumers by April 30, 2024.

The company would build, own, operate, and then transfer (BOOT) the plants to APUA after a fixed number of years.