Apua Goes – By Deslyn A Joseph
Apua Goes Tech New
The Minister responsible for Information, Communication Technologies, Utilities and Energy said that the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) is currently undergoing its most intensive period of activity in over five decades.
Speaking with the media earlier this week, Melford Nicholas said that one of the primary contractors tasked with automating the country’s water distribution is currently on island to implement a specialized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.
The SCADA system, which is designed to streamline and automate the water distribution network, is a significant leap forward in how the utility manages the national supply, he added.
“The APUA water division is currently managing as many as 15 simultaneous infrastructure projects, a level of activity which is the busiest the utility has seen in its 53-year history.
“The utility is as busy as it has ever been, trying to overcome this water challenge,” Nicholas said, noting that the government is heavily committed to resolving long-standing water issues.
He noted that APUA currently operates 10 reverse osmosis (RO) plants and continues to invest in this technology, adding that he recently provided support to his counterparts in St Kitts for the launch of their first RO facility.
While acknowledging that the work is not yet finished, Nicholas reported that the rehabilitation of the water infrastructure has successfully crossed the 65 percent mark. The next phase of the strategy involves building a significant number of additional reservoirs to ensure long-term resiliency in the water system. Nicholas expressed firm confidence that these goals are attainable with the ongoing support of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
Reflecting on the progress made during his tenure, Nicholas maintained that the challenge of fully modernizing the water system is “not a challenge that is beyond us” and remains a top priority for his ministry as they move past the midpoint of the national water infrastructure overhaul.
