APUA Producing 11 Million Gallons Daily as El Niño Concerns Grow

The government says Antigua and Barbuda is producing a record 11 million gallons of water per day as officials work to strengthen storage capacity and prepare for the possibility of severe drought conditions later this year.

The issue was discussed extensively during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting amid forecasts that an El Niño weather pattern could affect water supplies and agriculture across the region in the second half of 2026.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said Cabinet was advised that the Antigua Public Utilities Authority continues to make significant investments in water infrastructure and production.

“Current production stands at approximately 11 million imperial gallons per day, with projections indicating further increases as additional infrastructure comes on stream,” Merchant said during Thursday’s post-Cabinet briefing.

Government officials also reported progress on efforts to expand water storage capacity through the rehabilitation of tanks and other facilities.

Merchant said several storage tanks are expected to return to service within weeks, while four tanks at the former U.S. Air Force Base are targeted for rehabilitation. Improvements to two existing tanks are expected to increase storage capacity by approximately four million gallons.

Asked whether current production levels are sufficient to meet national demand, particularly during the tourism season, Merchant said the issue is no longer production but distribution.

“It is sufficient,” he said. “There are challenges to get the water to particular areas, in particular with the old pipes that are severely corroded.”

He said APUA is undertaking an extensive pipe replacement programme to improve the delivery of water to customers across the country.

The discussion comes as climatologists warn that drought conditions could intensify later this year. In response, government officials said efforts are underway to improve resilience through dam construction, well rehabilitation and maintenance of reverse osmosis plants.

“You would have heard that government is pursuing rigorously the construction of dams across Antigua and Barbuda, particularly for the farmers,” Merchant said.

He added that water storage upgrades and improvements to existing infrastructure are intended to ensure continuous production and delivery if drought conditions worsen.

Merchant acknowledged that concerns about drought and food security are discussed regularly at the Cabinet level, with utility and agriculture officials closely monitoring conditions.

Despite the challenges, he said the government believes the country’s water situation has improved significantly in recent months and is continuing to trend in the right direction.

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