The Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) and Seven Seas Water Group (SSWG), a multinational provider of Water-as-a-Service^® (WaaS^®), have jointly announced the opening of the Ffryes Beach seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant. The plant has a capacity of 1 million imperial gallons per day (IMGD) and will serve the surrounding areas. It is located adjacent to APUA’s existing facility at Ffryes Beach.

This is the first of two SWRO plants that APUA and SSWG announced as part of their WaaS^® agreement in March 2024. Once completed, the plant will produce up to 3 million IMGD of drinking water daily for the people of Antigua. The second plant will be located next to APUA’s existing Ivan Rodriguez facility and is expected to begin water production in the third quarter of this year. These plants will ensure a guaranteed supply of high-quality drinking water for Antigua for the next 12 years.

The Honourable Melford Nicholas, Minister of Information, Communication Technologies (ICTs), Utilities, and Energy, highlighted the importance of this achievement, stating: “I am highly impressed by the speed at which the teams from APUA and SSWG have worked to bring this plant online in just 10 months after contract signing. This additional volume will be critical for Antigua, marking the beginning of our ambitious efforts to provide reliable water island-wide. My sincere thanks to the teams at APUA and SSWG.”

APUA General Manager John Bradshaw expressed his enthusiasm, saying: “With growing demand from tourism, cruise ships, and residents, I am thrilled to expand our capacity for high-quality, reliable drinking water. The Water-as-a-Service^® model aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver affordable, safe and dependable water while enabling rapid expansion. Thanks to everyone involved, and I look forward to continuing this journey.”

Henry Charrabé, CEO of Seven Seas Water Group, emphasized the strong collaboration with the Government of Antigua and APUA, stating:

“We are honored to support Minister Nicholas and APUA’s commitment to expanding and improving local water infrastructure. Delivering this plant in less than a year underscores our ability to deploy water solutions quickly and efficiently. We look forward to further strengthening our presence in the region and continuing to provide sustainable, long-term Water-as-a-Service^® solutions for the people of Antigua.”

Source: BUSINESS WIRE