By KATHRYN CAMPBELL
Bahamas Information Services
ELEUTHERA, Bahamas, February 12, 2023 (BIS) – Over 100 homes in the Russell Island community will benefit from the 10,000 feet of watermains commissioned under the Russell Island Water Supply Project in north Eleuthera on February 10, 2023.
Addressed the commissioning ceremony on Russell Island, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip E. Davis said the Russell Island Water Supply Project will deliver high-quality, piped, potable water to the residents of this island.
The Prime Minister noted that through the vision of the Hon. Alfred Sears, Works and Utilities Minister, and the leadership of the Hon. Sylvanus Petty, MP for North Eleuthera and Chairman of Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC), an Action Plan was developed and is now being implemented to improve the reliability of the water supply for existing customers as well to extend piped water to all remaining homes and businesses that lack access.
In addition to Minister Sears and MP Petty, among those in attendance were the Hon. Clay Sweeting, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs; Bacchus Rolle, Parliamentary Secretary; Luther Smith, Permanent Secretary; board members, board consultants, representatives of the Spanish Wells Council, Local Government, community, business and civic leaders, senior government officials and residents of the island.
Participants included Minister Sweeting; Chairman Petty; Robert Deal, General Manager, WSC; Cyprian Gibson, Deputy General Manager, WSC; Pastor Willie Pinder and students and teachers of The Children’s Place Wellington Preparatory School and Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School.
Prime Minister Davis said over six and a quarter million dollars have been invested in water storage facilities in Eleuthera, including the refurbishment of the existing 365,000-gallon storage tank in Spanish Wells, and the construction of new 1.5 million gallon storage tanks for the Bogue and Naval Base.
“We are working closely with our desalination contractor to improve the reliability of all desalination plants on Eleuthera and increase production capacity at the Bogue and Naval 9 Base facilities to significantly expand the supply of potable water,” the Prime Minister said.
He noted that the government is also in negotiation to secure 25 to 30 million dollars from the Caribbean Development Bank to fund the second phase of the Bahamas Water Supply Project, which will include major improvements to critical water transmission and distribution mains across Eleuthera.
“Our ultimate objective is to ensure that water shortages are a thing of the past on the island of Eleuthera,” the Prime Minister said. “As we roll out various infrastructure development projects across our family islands, Eleuthera will continue to be a priority. We recognize the enormous potential within the Eleutheran economy and within the people of Eleuthera.”
Minister Sears thanked the management and staff, the board and consultants of WSC for their commitment.
“It took eight months to provide 10,000 feet of watermains to ensure this fast-developing Russell Island community would receive the potable water that it deserves,” Minister Sears said. “This is an extraordinary commitment.”
He added, “North Eleuthera (NE) and the entirety of Eleuthera is the focus of a massive infrastructural commitment. Today there is the commissioning of water works in Russell Island. You will see the redevelopment of the NE airport; there will be the complete transformation of the road system — a massive road redevelopment. Also, docks will be rehabilitated. It’s a comprehensive infrastructural commitment to the development of Eleuthera.”
