State Of Emergency Over St. Croix Water
United States Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has declared a state of emergency for St. Croix to maintain mobilized resources as water supplies and system pressure are gradually restored. The order also temporarily suspends competitive bidding rules to expedite water distribution to affected residents.
United States Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has officially declared a state of emergency for the island of St. The declaration comes as the territorial government continues deploying personnel and emergency resources to address severe water shortages and service interruptions while the island's potable water network recovers.
Executive Order No. 548-2026, which took effect on August 30, activates the St. Croix Emergency Operations Center and formalizes an expansive multi-agency response. The order will remain in effect until the governor determines that emergency measures are no longer necessary. Under the order, the administration has also suspended standard competitive-bidding requirements for goods and services directly tied to water distribution, allowing officials to expedite emergency relief.
Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency Director Daryl Jaschen has been named territorial coordinating officer, while Health Commissioner Justa "Tita" Encarnacion serves as incident commander, with the V.I. Department of Health acting as the lead agency. The Virgin Islands National Guard has also been mobilized alongside the Virgin Islands Police Department and other agencies to maintain order and assist at designated water distribution points.
The utility crisis was triggered by a combination of prolonged dry weather and infrastructure failure. Extended drought conditions had already depleted baseline water storage levels before a wastewater force main ruptured in Christiansted. Following the breach, the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority temporarily halted reverse-osmosis water production at its Richmond Plant as a precaution to conduct crucial water-quality testing.
Waste Management Authority completed repairs to the wastewater line and testing confirmed water safety. However, the temporary shutdown severely depleted storage inventories, causing widespread pressure drops and outages across several districts. In response, territorial officials dispatched private water haulers to deliver non-potable supplies to affected residents, including communities in Frederiksted.
Governor Bryan emphasized that the declaration is a proactive measure rather than a sign of worsening conditions. He noted that while production is back online, residents may continue to experience low pressure and intermittent service as WAPA rebuilds inventory and repressurizes the distribution grid.
Bryan affirmed that the government will maintain its coordinated response and full weight of resources until public water service is fully stabilized across St.
Primary source: St Thomas Source