ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Antigua and Barbuda government says a Trinidad and Tobago-based company has started constructing two reverse osmosis plants expected to supply two million gallons of reverse osmosis water daily.
Reverse osmosis is a multi-stage water treatment process that removes contaminants from unfiltered or feed water when pressure forces it through a semipermeable membrane.
A statement issued after the weekly Cabinet meeting did not name the Trinidadian company. Still, it said, “It is estimated that by April 30, 2024, the additional water will begin to flow to consumers.
“This company will build, own, operate, and then transfer (BOOT) the plants to APUA after a fixed number of years,” the statement said.
In November last year, Prime Minister Gaston Browne had hinted at the possibility of the state-owned APUA purchasing water from a Trinidad and Tobago-based company as he expressed his frustration regarding the ongoing water crisis on the island.
Browne told listeners to his weekly radio program that despite his administration investing a significant amount of funds over the last few years to deal with the water situation, the problem continues to exist.
He said that the APUA has been requested to consider two options, one from the local company, Caribbean Water Treatment, and the other from the Trinidad and Tobago-based company.
Browne said he expects improvements to happen during the coming year, with an additional reverse osmosis plant that will be operational by the second half of 2024, producing three million gallons of water daily.
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