Another step has been taken to address pipe-borne water disruptions that have been plaguing communities across Saint Lucia for years.
As part of the John Compton Dam Raw Water Pipeline Replacement Project, five kilometres of pipeline will be replaced. The project was launched on Thursday at the Harbor Club in Rodney Bay.
The pipeline being replaced stretches from the John Compton Dam, passes through Millet and Vanard, and ends at the Theobalds Treatment Plant, which is also being upgraded in a different project.
According to the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) and Ministry officials, the new pipes will replace infrastructure that is 40 years old and serves communities in Castries and northern Saint Lucia. These upgrades will help supply water to 58% of WASCO’s customers.
The ageing infrastructure, which averaged 30 maintenance jobs per year, has resulted in 50% water loss due to leaks and damage.
“The replacement of the raw water pipeline is expected to reduce the high rate of leakage [and] reduce pipeline failures,” said Charlin Louisy-Regis, Chief Economist in the Ministry of Economic Development and Youth Economy, who also said she believed the pipeline replacement will have a trickle-down effect, reducing the need for continuous maintenance and instances of service interruptions that have persisted in various communities.
According to WASCO CEO Zilta George-Leslie, the project is being funded with “US$22.8 million through financing secured through the Caribbean Development Bank, with joint funding from the government of France and the government of Italy.”
Cavon White, Portfolio Manager within the Economic Infrastructure Division of the Caribbean Development Bank, further broke down the financing figures.
According to White, the CDB is lending US$15.7 million, and the organisation will also provide technical guidance and ongoing project oversight.
US$5 million will come from the Agence Française de Développement’s credit facility and 2 million euros (EC$6.2m) from the government of Italy under a programme to support sustainable development projects in CARICOM countries.
”This blend of resources ensures that Saint Lucia benefits from competitive rates, competitive financial terms, long maturities, and concessional support for climate-resilient infrastructure,” White stated.
Construction on the project is scheduled to commence in the first half of 2027, with completion targeted for June 2030.
George-Leslie said the new pipeline is being designed to operate with greater capacity and warned that construction activity will be noticeable in communities such as Millet and Vanard.
“There will be activity within communities, traffic management measures and planned interruptions to the water supply. We will of course communicate those impacts as early and as clearly as possible and work within affected communities throughout construction,” she said.
However, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Shanda Lee Harracksingh assured, “The new line is being engineered to run alongside the existing pipeline, which will allow us to keep water flowing to the greatest extent possible, while construction proceeds.”
The launch of the John Compton Dam Raw Water Pipeline Replacement Project comes as additional projects of varying scales, including the Northern Pipeline Rehabilitation Project between Bonneterre and Gros Islet, are underway. Officials have also emphasised increasing storage capacity and rainwater-collection capabilities across the island.
