Rymer Announces Major Water Upgrades
The government has launched a 12-month action plan to overhaul the Territory’s ageing water system after declaring water a national critical priority. Works Minister Kye Rymer says crews have moved into implementation, installing HDPE pipelines and working with international specialists to reduce leaks and improve supply reliability.
The government has begun a 12-month programme to overhaul the British Virgin Islands’ water system, Works Minister Kye Rymer announced, saying officials are moving from planning into active implementation after declaring water a national critical priority. The declaration allows the government to fast-track purchases by bypassing certain provisions of the Procurement Act for materials needed to address decades of underinvestment and deterioration in the Territory’s water infrastructure.
Rymer said the aim is to reduce water loss, strengthen supply lines and build a more reliable network across the islands. An international technical team, Operators Without Borders, has completed an assessment of the Territory’s water assets and deployed specialists to assist with installation work and capacity building.
Rymer reported that approximately 3,000 linear feet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipeline have already been laid along the Ridge Road between the Diamond Estate Pump Station and the Montessori School gap, with further crews due to arrive. The plan focuses on five priority areas: infrastructure and system upgrades; reservoir security and site accessibility; system monitoring and control; metering and network expansion; and asset mapping and system review.
Operators Without Borders will also conduct a comprehensive hydrology study and provide training in leak detection and repair for staff of the Water and Sewerage Department. Rymer acknowledged the scale of the challenge, noting that many critical components are no longer serviceable.
Of 25 pressure-reducing valves in the system only 14 are currently operational, and just eight of 19 pump stations are functioning. He said new parts have been ordered but added that procurement, shipping and installation schedules will affect how quickly repairs can be completed.
The minister stressed that leak detection work is limited until replacement components arrive, because identified leaks must be repaired immediately to avoid further water loss. Meanwhile, crews are also advancing reservoir work across the Territory so storage and distribution capacity will be ready once upgraded pipelines and pumps are in place.
For residents, the upgrades should mean fewer outages and less water waste over time, but Rymer warned there may be short-term disruptions during installation and testing. He encouraged households to continue reporting leaks and water service issues to the Water and Sewerage Department and to practise conservation while repairs proceed.
The ministry says the programme represents a significant step toward modernising the Territory’s water network and improving long-term reliability, but that full restoration will take months as replacement parts arrive and installations continue across multiple sites.
Primary source: BVI News