Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): Well drilling is about to begin at a site identified in Cabbage Tree, Cayon, on Friday, June 9, 2023, close to the island’s main road and in the vicinity of the gas station. The project, once successful, is expected to bring major relief to the community of Cayon which has experienced water woes for many years.
The project is being administered and executed by Bedrock Exploration Development Technologies (BEAD) St. Kitts Ltd., which has been contracted by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis through the Water Services Department (WSD) headed by Mr. Cromwell Williams, Manager and Hydrogeologist.
Identified well drilling site at Cabbabe Tree in Cayon
Traffic along the island’s main road in the locality of Cabbage Tree will have to be diverted to facilitate the carrying out of the work, which is estimated to be completed in several weeks.
In an exclusive interview with St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS), Mr. Williams said the WSD was happy for the moment.
According to Mr. Williams, he is hopeful that the project will be successful and that the well will produce as much as 500, 000 gallons per day that will not only service the Cayon area but surrounding communities as far as Keys and Canada in one direction to as far as Molineux and the Phillips area in the other direction.
“So far for the year, we have received only 60 percent of the rainfall that we would normally receive and that has serious implications for how we use water so we have asked the general public to conserve. Everybody must use less water,” he said.
He said that if water is found, the potability of it would have to be tested and treated if needs be.
“There is water in the ground but it doesn’t benefit us as long as it is in the ground, and so we have to drill wells in order to access that water, and well drilling is not a cheap operation. The whole business of water production is not a cheap operation and so the government needs to start letting the consumers know that water is not a cheap business. It costs money to provide water infrastructure and so I always say paying 20 dollars for water is not sustainable if we want to have a reliable supply,” Mr. Williams said.