Minister calls VI water crisis 'very unfortunate' after regional coverage

Minister for Communications and Works Kye M. Rymer has addressed a Jamaica Gleaner article documenting water shortages affecting Virgin Islands residents, describing the situation as "very unfortunate."

The Gleaner piece drew attention to extended supply interruptions across the territory, with residents on Jost van Dyke resorting to bathing in the sea. Speaking on the Virgin Islands Voice programme on Wednesday, September 30, Rymer said the coverage troubled him but reflected broader regional challenges.

"I felt bad hearing that story," Rymer told the programme. "Actually, reading it, as you mentioned, it was all throughout the region."

On Jost van Dyke, leaks in the reservoir and distribution system have created the supply problems. Water initially enters the main distribution line but escapes through damaged sections, leaving residents without access during dry periods. After a community meeting, residents and government agreed that a temporary standpipe at the water production plant would ease the crisis, which the government then installed.

Rymer emphasised that ageing pipes and reservoirs, not water production capacity, drive the territory's crisis. The government has begun repairs in key locations, including Long Bush, Carrot Bay, and Zion Hill. Work on the Hannah Hill reservoir in Sea Cows Bay, which had leaked for an extended time, was completed the previous week.

The government is directing roughly $8 million from a $100 million loan secured in late 2024 toward water system improvements, pipes, meters, and reservoir work. Cabinet has also approved an extra $5 million in supplementary funding for water infrastructure, to be presented to the House of Assembly the following week.

Rymer outlined plans for a modernised water network that would let officials track the system, spot leaks, and manage it remotely. He cautioned that fixing the infrastructure will unfold gradually, constrained by budget cycles and available resources. "Water is a national priority, and we want to have a smart system," Rymer said.