Merger Won’t Fix BVI Water Woes
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn warned that merging the Water & Sewerage Department with the BVI Electricity Corporation will not speed up delivery of reliable water and risks saddling an already strained electricity corporation with greater financial burdens. The government says the Virgin Islands Energy and Water Corporation Bill, 2026 is necessary to strengthen management and service delivery across utilities.
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has told the House that combining the Water & Sewerage Department with the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) will not solve the territory’s longstanding water problems and is poorly timed. Speaking during debate on the Virgin Islands Energy and Water Corporation Bill, 2026, Walwyn said he is not opposed to mergers in principle but argued the legislation does not guarantee faster or more reliable water for residents. "When I examine the proposed legislation, the new corporation would not deliver reliable water any faster than the existing Water & Sewerage Department," he said.
Walwyn highlighted a provision that allows government subventions to the new entity for up to 15 years, saying it signals the government anticipates the merged corporation will not be profitable for at least that period. "The bill is already anticipating that this newly formed corporation will not be profitable at least for the next 15 years," he said, questioning why similar long-term support was never offered to the Water & Sewerage Department, which he described as starved of resources for years.
He also warned against attaching an underperforming water department to BVIEC, which he said is itself "severely financially strapped." Citing evidence given by BVIEC’s general manager during Standing Finance Committee deliberations, Walwyn said the move risks compounding financial and operational problems rather than solving underlying infrastructure failures.
Instead of structural reorganisation, Walwyn urged the government to invest directly in water infrastructure — fixing ageing, frequently broken pipes and other physical assets — and reiterated his call for a significant portion of the government’s US$100 million loan to be allocated to water repairs. "Why can’t the government use the money now and fix Water & Sewerage?" he asked.
The government, however, is pressing ahead. Works Minister Kye Rymer has defended the bill, arguing consolidation of water, sewage and electricity under a single statutory body is overdue and in the public interest. Government members say previous administrations acknowledged the need but failed to act, and insist the merger will strengthen management and improve service delivery across the utilities sector.
As the bill moves through committee stage, residents can expect continued debate over whether the priority should be institutional reform or immediate capital spending on crumbling water infrastructure. The outcome will shape how quickly households across the BVI see tangible improvements to water supply and service reliability.
Primary source: BVI News