Water relief for Basseterre and nearby communities is now within reach as Basseterre desalination plant testing for the new two-million-gallon facility at Bird Rock approaches completion. Officials have confirmed that the reverse osmosis system continues to meet microbiological and performance benchmarks, placing the project on track to deliver a long-awaited boost to national water security.
The Basseterre desalination plant testing has been overseen by the Water Services Department in partnership with Royal Utilities Ltd., the company long responsible for the desalination system serving the St. Kitts Marriott Resort. According to Royal Utilities’ General Manager, Gerry Moise, the decision to draw seawater from the Caribbean Sea significantly improves operational resilience, especially compared to the Atlantic side where higher salinity levels and sargassum-related blockages routinely disrupt intake systems. He noted that environmental assessments conducted prior to site selection confirmed water quality on the Caribbean side to be consistently clean and stable.
Moise further explained that water leaving the new Bird Rock facility exceeds the quality produced for the Marriott—despite the resort’s system having operated for more than two decades without a single complaint. Tests conducted through the St. Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards continue to validate the reliability of the plant’s output, reinforcing confidence in the project’s readiness.
The government’s decision to pursue desalination as a major component of the country’s water strategy has been widely supported, particularly as reduced rainfall and climate-related pressures intensify strain on traditional groundwater sources. Moise described desalination as a proven global solution, emphasising that the Federation stands to benefit greatly from adopting a system used successfully around the world for more than 50 years.
These updates were shared during the National Discussion on Water, held on 10th December under the theme “Embracing Desalination for a Sustainable Future.” With commissioning now imminent, the Bird Rock facility is expected to play a central role in stabilising and modernising the island’s water supply in the months ahead.
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