Owb Strengthens BVI Water System
A three-member team from Operators Without Borders (OWB) has returned to the Virgin Islands to support the Water and Sewerage Department with the installation of pressure reducing valves (PRVs) and hands-on training for local staff. The deployment follows the Government’s declaration of water as a national critical priority and includes further steps such as PRV calibration and a planned visit by a leak-detection specialist to reduce losses and improve supply reliability.
A three-member team from Operators Without Borders (OWB) has returned to the Territory to assist the Water and Sewerage Department in strengthening the Virgin Islands’ water distribution system, the Government has confirmed. The deployment builds on the Government of the Virgin Islands’ recent declaration of water as a national critical priority, which Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Kye M.
Rymer said has guided continued engagement with OWB. “Since declaring water a national priority, we have been actively working with Operators Without Borders, and we are pleased to welcome the team back to continue this important work,” Honourable Rymer said, adding that the partnership helps “not only install key infrastructure like PRVs but also build local capacity within the Water and Sewerage Department.” The visiting specialists — Marcello Misuraca, Jason Mank and Jonny Rannis — bring decades of experience in water and wastewater management and are focusing on installing pressure reducing valves (PRVs) across the network while providing hands-on training for departmental staff in maintenance and system management.
OWB engineer Jason Mank explained why PRVs are particularly important in the BVI context: the Territory’s varying elevations can cause excessive pressures in parts of the system, increasing the risk of pipe breaks and leaks. “These valves allow us to regulate and stabilise pressure across the network,” Mr.
Mank said. “By controlling pressure levels, we can significantly reduce damage to pipelines and improve overall system performance.” To date, PRVs have been installed at several key locations, including Sabbath Hill, Hope Hill, Little Dix Hill, Josiah’s Bay, Nottingham Estate and Mount Healthy, with additional installations ongoing.
The new PRV units have been selected and installed with accessibility in mind so Water and Sewerage Department personnel can carry out routine checks and clear debris without extensive excavation. Training is a central element of the mission. OWB specialists are providing practical instruction on operating, adjusting and maintaining PRVs so that departmental staff can manage the equipment long term.
This capacity-building approach is intended to ensure the improvements are sustainable and locally managed once the OWB team departs. Following PRV calibration, a leak-detection specialist is scheduled to visit the Territory to deliver further training in identifying and addressing leaks more efficiently.
Officials say this combined approach — pressure control, accessible equipment and local capacity building, followed by focused leak detection — aims to reduce system losses, limit service interruptions and increase the resilience of the Territory’s water supply. Residents in areas where work is underway may experience short, temporary interruptions while installations proceed; the Government and the Water and Sewerage Department have said they will communicate any planned outages in advance.
The update was released by the Government’s Department of Information and Public Relations and underscores ongoing collaboration between the Government and Operators Without Borders to modernise critical water infrastructure and improve service reliability for BVI communities. For more information, contact Paul Bridgewater, Information Officer, Department of Information and Public Relations at 468-2747 or pbridgewater@gov.vg, or BVIGovernment@dgagroup.com.
Primary source: BVI Government