In response to the expanding University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus and the anticipated surge in the local population, Antigua’s Cabinet has greenlit the installation of a state-of-the-art Reverse Osmosis Plant at Five Islands.
The primary objective is to meet the escalating demand for potable water among the growing student body, faculty, staff, as well as to cater to the needs of hotels in the area and neighboring communities.
With projections indicating that the UWI Five Islands Campus population is likely to exceed 5,000 students within the next five years, the demand for water is expected to soar significantly.
The surge in population, coupled with the development of new hotels in the vicinity, calls for strategic measures to ensure a sustainable and reliable water supply.
The government has entrusted a firm from Trinidad and Tobago with the responsibility of supplying an impressive 2 million gallons of reverse osmosis water daily.
This company is already on-site in Antigua, actively engaged in the construction of two Reverse Osmosis Plants.
It is anticipated that, by April 30, 2024, the additional water resources will begin to flow to consumers, alleviating the strain on the existing water infrastructure.
Under the Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) model, the Trinidadian firm will take charge of the plants’ construction, operation, and ownership for a fixed duration before transferring control to the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA).
This collaborative initiative aims to ensure a sustainable and efficient water supply for both the university campus and the broader community.
