Water will flow again to homes 24/7

POTABLE WATER WILL ONCE AGAIN FLOW to residents’ homes on a 24-hour-per-day basis under the Dr Terrance Drew-led St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) widely expected to win Friday’s polls.

According to the SKNLP manifesto, the party plans unveiling water availability round-the-clock under its novel “plan to restore 24/7 water supply for all (citizens and residents) of St. Kitts and Nevis.”

During its first 6 months in office, the SKNLP will also “reaffirm all watershed areas and aquifers” designating them as “Protected Areas” the manifesto explained.

It said as prime minister, Drew and his Cabinet will pursue a vigorous public education campaign to sensitise its 53,000 population on issues vital to the protection of the life-saving liquid.

Among the menu of measures for the water sector, the SKNLP foresees improving the country’s water security “through better well networks and catchment infrastructure and water supply management”.

The plan announced water will flow to residents’ homes round-the-clock require when the Drew administration takes the reins of government, and all affordable homes the National Housing Corporation subsequently builds after August 5^th must have of solar and photovoltaic (PV) panels and water storage tanks as amenities.

The manifesto said there will be better management of the sale and use of state-owned lands, and the new administration will also “designate, develop, and maintain community green spaces and parkettes for land preservation,” the five-year plan explained.

Other steps in the SKNLP development vision include:

• providing food production incentives for local farmers and fishers, and attracting sustainable projects in agroindustry, manufacturing and services
• require energy suppliers to implement feed-in tariff schemes for the owners of renewable energy systems and
• introducing incentives to encourage the purchase and use of energy efficient vehicles, appliances and other devices using electricity.

The Labour party will also guarantee “environmentally-sound management of our natural resources, so that future generations have the opportunity that we enjoy to live, work and play in a clean St. Kitts and Nevis,” the manifesto promised.

The SKNLP wants children grow up in a climate-resilient environment, “where special attention is paid to preserving our land and water resources in an effort to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (UNSDG 6) which focuses on clean water and sanitation.

“Sustainable Development Goal 6 goes beyond drinking water, sanitation and hygiene to also address the quality and sustainability of water resources, which are critical to the survival of people and the planet,” the UN said on its website.

It said “the 2030 Agenda recognizes the centrality of water resources to sustainable development and the vital role that improved drinking water, sanitation and hygiene play in progress in other areas, including health, education and poverty reduction.”