In a significant move to enhance the British Virgin Islands (BVI) water distribution system, the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA), on behalf of the Government of the Virgin Islands, has signed a contract valued at $104,750 with Water Research Centre Limited (WRC).
The contract aims to curtail non-revenue water and foster sustainability through the development of local capacity in leak detection. The primary goal of the consultancy contract is to improve leak detection and reduce non-revenue water by conducting capacity development for local contractors and the Water and Sewage Department.
The WRC will collaborate with these local entities to identify and locate both visible and non-visible leaks within the BVI water distribution system. This initiative is expected to significantly reduce water loss and enhance the overall efficiency of the water network. The project is scheduled to last six weeks, with completion anticipated by October 15, 2024.
During the contract signing ceremony held on July 11, Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Kye Rymer highlighted the ongoing challenges of leak detection and the critical need to understand the reasons behind inconsistent water supply.
“We have embarked on this project because we understand that there is quite a lot of theft but there is quite a lot of leaks on the system and it is essential for us to identify those,” said Minister Rymer. He emphasized the necessity of a holistic approach to leak detection, acknowledging the age-old infrastructure of the territory.
Chief Executive Officer of the RDA, Anthony McMaster, expressed the agency’s enthusiasm for the Ministry’s proactive steps in addressing this persistent issue. He noted that the project aligns with one of RDA’s core remits of capacity building, which will benefit both the Water and Sewage Department and private personnel. “This project will not be a one-time fix but will create new industries in the territory,” McMaster added.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works, Mrs. Elvia Smith Maduro, reiterated the importance of a consistent and reliable potable water source. She expressed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the legislative agenda for enhancing the territory’s infrastructure.
Managing Director of Water Research Centre Limited, Andy Blackhall, commended the government’s timely and important initiative. “We look forward to working with you to share best practices, focus on training, building capacity, technologies, and materials, and all the things that go towards providing safe, clean drinking water to the people that inhabit these islands,” Blackhall stated.
The ‘Leak Detection Consultancy’ contract is the first phase of a three-phase Water Optimisation Programme with the RDA. The subsequent phases will involve the supply and installation of water meters for reservoirs across the British Virgin Islands and the installation of domestic water meters throughout the BVI.
The signing ceremony on July 11 was also attended by Acting Director of Water and Sewerage Department Mr. Brian Davis, RDA Project Manager Mrs. Nioka Anderson Murray, and RDA Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Mrs. Tifanie Robinson.