File photo/ APUA pineline installation and repair
Public Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas says APUA is redesigning sections of Antigua’s water network by separating high-pressure transmission lines from lower-pressure community distribution systems in an effort to reduce frequent pipe ruptures.
Speaking Tuesday night on Pointe FM’s Taking Stock programme, Nicholas explained that many of the island’s long-standing water problems stem from older distribution pipes being forced to carry water at pressures far beyond what they were designed to handle.
“A transmission line carries much higher volumes of water at much higher pressure than what would be required for distribution lines,” Nicholas said.
He explained that household distribution systems typically require around 70 pounds per square inch (PSI) to maintain a comfortable water supply, while transmission systems can operate between 120 and 160 PSI.
According to the minister, this mismatch has caused repeated breaks in several communities over the years.
“You’re going to have heart attacks. You’re going to have blood vessels ruptured,” Nicholas said, comparing the system to the human circulatory network.
He cited Buckley’s as one of the clearest examples of the problem.
“Almost on a weekly basis, APUA has had to fix Buckley’s line because it was designed to be a distribution network, but it was carrying transmission-level water,” he said.
Nicholas said APUA has now installed a dedicated transmission line on one side of the road to move water to reservoirs while adding pressure reducers that send water back into communities at safer operating levels.
“Broken lines have disappeared,” he said.
The minister also pointed to Fitch’s Creek, which he said had one of the highest incidences of pipe failures because the community was directly connected to a major transmission system without sufficient pressure reduction.
He said re-engineering work is now underway across the island as APUA upgrades infrastructure and improves the resilience of the network.
Nicholas praised water utility workers and APUA management for their efforts, saying crews have been working extensively across communities to stay ahead of faults and install new systems.
He added that Antigua and Barbuda’s long-term water strategy includes additional storage, upgraded pipelines and the rollout of a computerized SCADA monitoring system designed to improve control over water transmission and distribution nationwide.