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VG to get $2M water plant upgrade

- Gov’t renews contract with Aqua Design (BVI) Ltd for 7 years
The water woes plaguing Virgin Gorda for more than a year now could soon come to an end with the renewing of the contract for water production between Aqua Design (BV) Limited and Government today, October 8, 2015. Seat from left: Aqua Design (BVI) Ltd Manager Mr Michael A. E. L. Matthew, Global Business Leader of GE Water and Process Technologies Mr Robert G. Gorgol, Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith and Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4). Photo: VINO
Global Business Leader of GE Water and Process Technologies Mr Robert G. Gorgol said the contract renewal clears the way for a $2M upgrade to the water plants on Virgin Gorda. He said over the 7 years of the contract, it is anticipated that over 1 billion gallons of water will be produced. Photo: VINO/File
Global Business Leader of GE Water and Process Technologies Mr Robert G. Gorgol said the contract renewal clears the way for a $2M upgrade to the water plants on Virgin Gorda. He said over the 7 years of the contract, it is anticipated that over 1 billion gallons of water will be produced. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The water woes plaguing Virgin Gorda for more than a year now could soon come to an end with the renewing of the contract for water production between Aqua Design (BVI) Limited and Government today, October 8, 2015.

The long awaited contract for Aqua Design to produce treated water using reversed osmosis for the Handsome Bay and North Sound Water Plants in Virgin Gorda is for a period of seven years.

The signing of the contract was done today in the Premier’s Office.

According to Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4), Aqua Design is expected to increase its production from 320,000 imperial gallons to 480,000 per day and that the increase is expected in the next four months.

He added that Government will be paying $12.46 per 1000 imperial gallons, inclusive of the cost of electricity. According to Hon Vanterpool, Government was previously paying $20 and hopes to get similar reduction for water production on Tortola.

Aqua Design has plants at Sea Cows Bay and Capoons Bay.

Gov’t barging water to VG

The Works Minister apologised to residents for the inconvenience they have been facing and noted that Government continues to make efforts to alleviate the situation in the interim by barging water over from Tortola.

Global Business Leader of GE Water and Process Technologies Mr Robert G. Gorgol said the contract renewal clears the way for a $2M upgrade to the water plants on Virgin Gorda. He said over the 7 years of the contract, it is anticipated that over 1 billion gallons of water will be produced.

Also present at the signing was Aqua Design (BVI) Ltd Manager Mr Michael A. E. L. Matthew.

Back in February 2015 Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works Mr Anthony S. McMaster had spoken on the issue of the signing of a contract for production of water on the island and at that time he had said they were expecting that all would have been well no later than April of 2015.

He had said the contract not being renewed was not the problem as they are in discussion at the time with Aqua Design Ltd and those discussions were going well. However, it is some six months after April that ink finally met paper.

10 Responses to “VG to get $2M water plant upgrade”

  • Yes (08/10/2015, 11:23) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Omg their using RO water? That's it? Wow since when is just RO alone with no other treatment for consumption? What the hell is going on? Who is putting this stuff together?
  • OC (08/10/2015, 11:23) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    how come they did not give this themselfs
  • Yes (08/10/2015, 11:45) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Government paying $12.00 and change per 1000 gallons INCLUDING WATER, but yet Biwater charging around the same, PLUS Govt have to pay their electricity separately. Of course Biwater also includes the Sewage Treatment component but I still think a better overall price could have been negotiated on behalf of the BVI people. I wonder how Government got Aqua to drop from $20 to $12 per 1000 gallons especially seeing it's a short contract at 7 years. Hmmmmm.
  • Contract questions (08/10/2015, 12:26) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Was a performance clause considered in the contract? In other words, are there penalties for failing to meet specified water quality criteria, or for failing to deliver a specified amount, or for shut downs as a result of poor operation and maintenance? Was any consideration given to possibly relocating the water intake further away from shore to avoid sargassum?
  • i from here (08/10/2015, 13:33) Like (2) Dislike (10) Reply
    Gov't that works for the people = NDP!
  • wow (12/10/2015, 19:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    a whole week without water is disgraceful the government should be ashamed


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