Govt Slammed Over Water Shortages
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn accused the government during the House of Assembly budget debate of failing to address prolonged water outages affecting multiple districts, including Upper Free Bottom and Sea Cows Bay. Residents are reportedly going weeks or months without regular supply, relying on trucked water or private purchases, while the government continues to buy bulk water at substantial cost.
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has accused the government of neglecting basic services after residents in several districts reported prolonged and recurring water shortages. Speaking during the budget debate in the House of Assembly, Walwyn highlighted communities such as Upper Free Bottom and Sea Cows Bay where households, small businesses and farmers have been without regular water for weeks or, in some cases, months.
He said many families are forced to rely on trucked water or make private purchases to meet daily needs. Walwyn linked the outages to what he described as misplaced spending priorities. He noted that the territory spends tens of millions of dollars annually buying bulk water and argued that the government now spends more on purchased water than it collects in water revenue.
He warned this practice drains public finances without delivering durable service improvements. "People can't get water," Walwyn said, urging the administration to commit more resources to upgrading infrastructure and expanding capacity rather than relying on temporary fixes. He delivered a memorable appeal for greater urgency, saying: "The water problem has to be solved.
Think about it in that aspect… You know you love party. Pretend it's a party." Calls for long-term investment echo recurring community complaints about outages, especially during dry spells. Opposition members have repeatedly raised concerns about the cost of bulk water purchases and slow progress on infrastructure upgrades.
Government officials have previously pointed to ageing systems and high operational costs as key challenges, while maintaining that investments are being made to improve reliability. Walwyn said those explanations are no longer sufficient and urged the government to treat water security with the same urgency as other major spending initiatives outlined in the budget.
He warned that continued inaction will further erode public confidence and harm livelihoods that depend on a reliable water supply. As the budget debate continues, residents and business owners will be watching for concrete commitments and a clear plan to reduce dependency on bought water, improve distribution, and prevent future disruptions that affect daily life across the Virgin Islands.
Primary source: BVI News