The Water and Sewerage Company has officially launched a major infrastructure upgrade aimed at improving water delivery in northern Saint Lucia, with the commencement of the Northern Pipeline Project.
Chief Executive Officer Zilta George-Leslie described the project as a transformative step for the island’s water network.
“The Northern Pipeline project will transform how we deliver water to one of Saint Lucia’s most vital corridors,” she said. “We are here to inaugurate the replacement of approximately 1.1 kilometres of aging infrastructure with a new 20-inch ductile iron pipeline.”
She explained that the new system will replace a 14-inch cast-iron pipeline that has been in service since the 1990s. “What replaces it will improve pressure, reduce leakage, and carry reliable service to residents, businesses, and the tourism communities in the north for decades to come,” George-Leslie added.
Project Manager and Civil Engineer from Construction and Industrial Equipment Ltd, which is involved in executing the works, acknowledged that construction will bring some inconvenience but assured that steps will be taken to minimise disruption.
“We would like to keep the disruptions to a minimum,” said Pawan Joshi. “We will advise in advance of the planning and how the works will be executed, and we will try to complete it in the shortest possible time.”
He added that work schedules have been adjusted to reduce traffic congestion. “We will not be working during peak hours to facilitate commuters, and we seek the cooperation of residents, motorists, and businesses, including hotels, for the successful completion of the project,” Joshi said.
Minister for Public Utilities Keithson Charles emphasised that infrastructure upgrades must be matched by public participation in water conservation efforts.
“Water security is a shared responsibility,” he said. “As we invest heavily in WASCO, I urge all Saint Lucians to embrace rainwater harvesting. The government has provided VAT exemptions on tanks, so let us capture the blessings when it rains.”
Prime Minister Philip J Pierre also used the occasion to outline broader reforms planned for the utility company.
“We are in the process of creating an entire new structure for WASCO, an arrangement that will allow it to serve the people of Saint Lucia while being able to sustain itself,” he said.
Pierre noted that water remains relatively affordable on the island but stressed the need for long-term sustainability. He confirmed that Cabinet has approved a public-private partnership arrangement, with support from the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank.
“The IFC will return to Saint Lucia to help the government put together a PPP structure for WASCO,” he said.
The Northern Pipeline Project is expected to significantly improve water pressure and reliability in the north, forming part of a broader national effort to modernise water infrastructure and secure supply for future demand.
