BOOT operation to augment APUA water operations expected to begin in early 2024

Questions are being raised about the continued production of water
by the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA, as word surfaces
that the Gaston Browne Administration is planning to set up a Build,
Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) arrangement with an outside
company.

Sources indicate that negotiations with the company – to provide
Antigua and Barbuda with five million gallons of water daily – are at
an advanced stage. And this arrangement is expected to begin
around February/March 2024.

At present, according to the source, APUA is about two million
gallons short of its daily national water production and distribution.
It appears that this arrangement is in addition to the prime
minister’s announcement, last weekend, that two private companies
are being considered for the outsourcing of certain aspects of
APUA’s operations.

However, the source was unable to say how much this project would
cost or its expected commencement date.

Meanwhile, the Bethesda Reverse Osmosis Plant being built by
APUA is about $40 million behind, the source says.
That plant is expected to produce 3.5 million gallons of water per
day, and officials say this will meet and exceed the current supply
and demand of communities on that side of the island.

It Is anticipated that the plant will take 10 months to be completed.
Barring unforeseen issues, APUA now produces 11 million gallons of
water daily. However, the demand remains at approximately 13
million gallons a day, according to the Authority. 
Given the expected outsourcing of water production, one source is
questioning whether APUA will cap its production operation at this
point.

PM Browne had indicated last year (2022) that the price of water
would increase once APUA is able to provide the commodity on a
24-hour daily basis.

Additionally, questions are being asked about the waste of money,
via leakage, and when this problem will be addressed in a
meaningful way?