Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 15, 2019 (SKNIS): ‘Securing the Caribbean’s Future: Financing the Water and Waste Sectors’, the theme for the 28th Annual Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) Conference and Exhibition, is timely and important, as it aligns with several initiatives in Nevis, says the Honourable Spencer Brand, Minister with responsibility for Water in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).
“This theme is relevant as it first draws attention to the survival of our people through the development and financing of these important sectors,” said Minister Brand, during the CWWA Conference media launch at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on August 13. “It also draws attention to the importance of having sustainable investment mechanisms for the water sector.
The Conference and Exhibition, which will run from October 14-18, in St. Kitts and Nevis, will see stakeholders venturing over to Nevis on a technical tour. Minister Brand said the NIA is in full support of the event, as it is his “belief that Nevis has something to share with our brothers and sisters from the Caribbean and beyond.”
“For example, we have just substantially completed a CDB [Caribbean Development Bank] – NIA funded project that we dubbed ‘Nevis Water Supply Enhancement Project’ which consisted of replacing thousands of feet of water transmission lines, building new reservoirs, upgrading pump stations, installation of new chlorine systems and a state of the are SCADA [Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition] system, Minister Brand said. “On the supply side, we are currently implementing a project for the installation of a modern water filtration system… to treat iron and manganese abnormal levels according to the World Health Organization’s standards.
Minister Brand added that several other initiatives are been looked into to benefit the people of Nevis.
“We continue to pursue additional water to our system from drilling with the hope of commissioning three new wells to augment water supply on the island. We are also studying and considering very seriously, the inclusion of desalination options for the island as one of the mixes to continue to increase the supply of water for the people and residents of Nevis,” he stated.
He appealed to local businesses, entrepreneurs, local institutions, interested persons, and in particular youth and school children, to get involved in the conference.
“We believe we have tremendous potential for networking, educating and for the overall social and economic development of our local and Caribbean Community,” he said.
