THE BOTTOM, Saba – The Public Entity Saba is taking additional measures to address water shortages caused by the prolonged drought, including expanding desalination capacity and introducing a centralized system for water deliveries.
An additional desalination plant returned to service on Wednesday after maintenance and produced approximately 25,000 gallons before suffering a mechanical failure on Thursday. The defective part is being sent to Sint Maarten for repair, after which production is expected to resume.
To strengthen the island’s water supply over the longer term, the Public Entity will also invest in another desalination plant. The new installation will be capable of producing more than six cubic meters per hour, equivalent to approximately 38,000 gallons per day. Delivery is expected to take about five months. The additional capacity is intended to provide greater redundancy when other production facilities are unavailable.
Centralized water requests from next week
Meanwhile, water requests and deliveries will be centralized starting next week. Residents will be able to submit requests through a single webpage and telephone number, also accessible via WhatsApp. Deliveries will be prioritized according to urgency and the date requests are received, with households that have run out of water, those at immediate risk of doing so, and vulnerable residents receiving priority.
Once the system becomes operational, residents will no longer be able to order water directly from individual truck drivers.
“This situation has our full attention. We are working every day to stabilize the immediate situation, while continuing the investments and improvements necessary to strengthen Saba’s water system for the future,” Commissioner Bruce Zagers said.
Further details about the centralized request system are expected in the coming days. Residents are being asked to continue conserving water and, where possible, postpone non-urgent deliveries while pressure on the island’s supply remains high.
