The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A WATER project aiming to improve supply in Eleuthera was commissioned on Friday, with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in attendance.

The Russell Island water supply project includes the installation of nearly 10,000ft of pipes to serve more than 100 homes on the islands at a cost of approximately $600,000.

Also present at the commissioning ceremony were Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Family Island Affair Clay Sweeting, Minister of Works and Utilities Alfred Sears, and WSC chairman and North Eleuthera MP Sylvanus Petty.

Mr Davis said the provision of high-quality piped potable water was “long overdue”, saying many administrations failed to deliver a solution.

With respect to Eleuthera specifically, WSC has developed an action plan to improve the reliability of its services, with residents facing water supply issues for the past three months.

A delegation visited the island on Friday to view and inspect the North Eleuthera naval desalination plant, and WSC general manager Robert Deal said a half-million gallon tank has been installed.

“You’ll see that we have installed the half a million tank. What that will do is assist us with increasing the amount of water we have stored on site,” Mr Deal said on Friday.

He said the company also expects to build a one-million gallon storage tank.

The added tank will help to increase storage capacity and production capacity on the island, after which Water and Sewerage can then focus on any other “weak points” it may have on the island.

WSC is also aiming to partner with Bahamas Power and Light and Ministry of Works and Utilities to address the power and supply and demand issues of the desalination facilities, including alternative energy supply solutions.