By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 16th October 2025) -Minister of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities Konris Maynard has highlighted that the country’s largest desalination project-a two-million-gallon-per-day facility located in Basseterre-is now entering its testing phase.
He made the disclosure during a 2026 National Budget town hall meeting held at the Saddlers Community Centre on Wednesday 15th October 2025 under the theme ‘Turning Conversations into Action: Building Our Sustainable Island State Together.’
Describing the project as “the most monumental and largest” of its kind in the Federation’s history, Maynard said the $50 million facility represents a major leap forward in achieving water security and resilience for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Infrastructure Minister highlighted the success of the Federation’s first solar-powered desalination plant, located at the Canada Industrial Site, which produces 70,000 gallons of water per day. The project, partially sponsored by the United Arab Emirates, “is the first of its kind in our nation powered by clean, renewable solar energy, symbolizing the marriage of technology and sustainability,” he said.
Turning to the latest development, Maynard elaborated that the two-million-gallon-per-day Basseterre desalination plant includes a 500,000-gallon storage tank and backup generation capacity. Once commissioned, it will supply water to the entire Basseterre area and surrounding communities-stretching as far west as New Guinea, as far east as Cayon, and as far north as Ogees in St. Peter’s.
“This plant will soon be commissioned in Basseterre, ensuring that our capital city and its environs-the heart of where our commerce and governance is-will finally have a resilient water source,” he said. “The aim, of course, is to return the entirety of Basseterre and its environs to a 24-hour-a-day water supply.”
According to Maynard: “Infrastructure, as you know, is the backbone to national development, and it is how we can connect our people; it empowers our economy and sustains our communities. Every road we pave, every pipe we lay, every project we build is really a commitment to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis-a commitment that progress will reach every home, every village, and every generation; a commitment we have for powering progress.”
Identifying his governmental portfolio, Maynard expressed that he is proud that under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew “we are delivering the most ambitious water and infrastructure agenda in the recent modern history of the Federation.”
He reminded the audience that water security has been one of the government’s top priorities as the nation moves “from scarcity to sustainability.”
Maynard also explained that over the past decade, St. Kitts and Nevis has faced worsening water shortages due to climate change, which has made dry seasons longer and rainfall patterns more unpredictable.
“Receiving more rain in short periods-that’s actually not good for our water services, although the farmers might enjoy the extra rain,” he noted. “Yet this government has refused to let geography or climate dictate the future; we’re taking decisive action to guarantee a reliable, climate-resilient water supply for all our people.”
Maynard emphasized that these projects represent not only impressive feats of engineering but also “a fundamental shift in how we think about water-as a renewable, manageable, and equitable resource that must be protected and expanded for the benefit of all.”