St Kitts and Nevis: The construction of the second “2-million-gallon desalination plant” has commenced in St Kitts and Nevis on Tuesday with the official groundbreaking ceremony. The plant will be located at the CA Paul Southwell Industrial Park and costs about $50 million.
The desalination plant is intended to address the issue of the water crisis which is caused by climate change and the decline in rainfall. Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew along with other Cabinet Colleagues including Minister Samal Duggins, Minister Denzil Douglas and Minister Konris Maynard broke the ground for the construction of the project.
The plant is aimed to mark the commitment to find viable solutions to the longstanding issue of water scarcity in St Kitts and Nevis. The water crisis will be addressed with the plant and Prime Minister Drew added that this had to be done otherwise the country would run out of water.
The plant is the second desalination plant being undertaken by the government, with the first plant nearing completion at Canada Estate.
Being a small island state, St Kitts and Nevis has been facing the issues of the water due to decreased rainfall, increased temperatures and salt water intrusion to underground wells, all as a result of the climate crisis.
Talking about the issue, Prime Minister Dr Drew added, ”This is why we need climate justice, as the cost for climate adaptation is unbearable for small island developing states.”
He also criticized the government and expressed that the previous government did absolutely nothing to increase water availability, which is a dismal failure.
The announcement of the construction of the desalination plant has been made in July 2024 by Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew as part of the implementation of the enhanced water storage tank system.
Paving the path, the ground was broken in March 2024 for the construction of the Solar Powered Desalination Plant at the Canada Industrial Estate. The plant is near completion and is expected to open by the end of this year.
The plant has the capacity to produce up to 76,000 gallons of water per day, aiming to ensure the regular flow of water. The desalination process will be conducted by using solar energy as it will ensure access to clean water as well as reduce the dependency of emission of the carbon footprint.
In an attempt to address the water crisis, the government of St Kitts and Nevis constructed the Cayon Well as the community was facing the issue for a long period of time. The announcement of the Cayon Well was also made in July 2023.
