The Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA), on behalf of the Government of the Virgin Islands, has signed a major contract with Water Research Centre Limited (WRC) for leak detection services. This initiative aims to curtail non-revenue water and enhance local capacity in leak detection, promising a more efficient and reliable water distribution network for the Territory.

The $104,750 contract is designed to boost the skills of local contractors and the Water and Sewerage Department in identifying and managing water leaks. This project will see experts working closely with community personnel to locate both visible and non-visible leaks within the BVI water distribution system. The consultancy is set to last six weeks, with completion anticipated by October 15, 2024.

At the contract signing ceremony on July 11, Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Kye Rymer emphasised the importance of this project. “Leak detection is an ongoing challenge, and it is essential to critically understand why some persons are not receiving water. We have embarked on this project because we understand that there is quite a lot of theft but there is quite a lot of leaks on the system and it is essential for us to identify those,” he said.

Minister Rymer added, “There needs to be a holistic approach in terms of leak detection throughout the Territory, knowing that we have age-old infrastructure.”

Chief Executive Officer of the RDA, Mr. Anthony McMaster, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. “At the RDA, we are excited by the Ministry’s intention to address this persistent issue. This project is designed along the spheres of one of RDA’s three remits. We are linked to capacity building and the Ministry saw an opportunity to utilise this project to build the capacity of not only the Water and Sewerage Department but also private personnel,” McMaster stated.

“This project will not be a one-time fix but will create new industries in the Territory,” he added.

Supporting the project, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works Mrs. Elvia Smith Maduro remarked, “The matter of a consistent, reliable source of potable water is very important for us as the Ministry responsible for Infrastructure and in support of the Minister in achieving the legislative agenda for this important and critical component of the infrastructure of the Territory.”

Andy Blackhall, Managing Director of Water Research Centre Limited, praised the Government’s proactive measures. “The actions that the Government is taking in initiating this capacity building programme are timely and important. We look forward to working with you to share best practices, to focus on training, building capacity, technologies and materials, and all the things that go towards providing safe, clean drinking water to the people that inhabit these islands,” Blackhall said.

The ‘Leak Detection Consultancy’ contract marks the first phase of a three-phase Water Optimisation Programme with the RDA. Subsequent phases include the ‘Supply and Installation of Water Meters for Reservoirs across the British Virgin Islands’ and the ‘Supply and Installation of Domestic Water Meters across the BVI.’

The contract signing was also attended by Acting Director of Water and Sewerage Department Mr. Brian Davis, RDA Project Manager Mrs. Nioka Anderson Murray, and RDA Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Mrs. Tifanie Robinson.