APUA Adjusts Water Distribution Schedule as Drought Strains Plants

The Antigua Public Utilities Authority is adjusting its water distribution schedule as prolonged drought conditions place increasing pressure on the country’s reverse-osmosis plants.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said Thursday that APUA’s desalination facilities remain operational but are being stretched to their limits as the authority works to maintain supplies across the country.

“The osmosis plants are working. They are being stretched to their limits,” Merchant said during the post-Cabinet news briefing.

He said some plants require frequent repairs and the continued replacement of modules used in the reverse-osmosis process.

Merchant said APUA recognizes the effect that unreliable water supplies have on households and is revising its distribution arrangements to reduce the length of outages in affected communities.

“APUA recognizes that it is not a good development for people not to have water,” he said. “Water is highly essential and even more essential when there is none coming from your pipes.”

While the revised schedule is intended to improve distribution, Merchant warned that interruptions would continue as the authority manages its available supply during the drought.

“APUA is asking the general public for some understanding in this matter, some patience in this matter,” he said.

Merchant said Antigua and Barbuda is traditionally drought-prone, but the current conditions are among the worst meteorological officials have seen in a long time.

“There are going to be some outages while they try to maneuver around the current drought situation that we are facing,” he said.

The government spokesman noted that water shortages are also affecting several countries across the Caribbean and other parts of the world.

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