The Cabinet invited the APUA Water Manager to its meeting, in order to provide timelines, to answer questions about the quantum of resources required, and the current performance of various Reverse Osmosis plants.
The Crabbes Plant, for example, has six units; four units now produce 2.5 million gallons of potable water per day; and, when its two other units are brought back online, the Plant will be back up to 3 million gallons per day. The Cabinet was informed that the membranes used to operate RO plants grow increasingly inefficient with use. The membranes are cleaned frequently and APUA changes those parts every 3 to 5 years.
The Ivan Rodriguez Plant which is at Barnacle Point produces 1.4 million gallons per day with six units; two of the units are currently being maintenanced in a staggered fashion that allows for the plant to continue to produce a significant portion of its maximum output.
At Camp Blizzard, Cabinet was informed that there are four units there at the moment, and they are all functioning. Their membranes were replaced in 2018 and are about ready to have new membranes installed sometime within the next twelve months.
At Ffryes Beach, four units are online producing 90% of its production capacity or 1,600,000 gallons per day; that increase has caused the southern parts of Antigua to receive more potable water than ever before.
The Fort James Plant, which is under construction, will be fully commissioned before September 2022 and has been purchased for more than $14 million dollars.
The Pigeon Point RO Plant produces more than 300,000 gallons of potable water daily. It will be sufficient to meet the demands of the villages and communities in St. Paul, the yachts and other vessels that will be participating in the Antigua Sailing Week at the end of April.
Two storage tanks that remain unconnected are being connected through the use of polyethylene pipes, since it was determined that PVC pipes cannot be used. The soil is rocky and will puncture the pipes if there is earth movement, the Cabinet was told. The Cabinet was also informed that new membranes can be shipped five to six weeks following an order; they cannot be kept in storage for more than a few weeks before deteriorating.
In Barbuda, the Cabinet was informed that the building to house the RO plant has begun construction. The 2017 hurricane destroyed an RO plant and infrastructure that provided the Village of Codrington with potable water. The new plant will fulfill the needs of homes as well as institutions that require potable water.
