by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN)—Nevis is undertaking a major water enhancement project in 2026, including the drilling of several new wells to increase the island’s potable water supply, alongside separate 2026 plans to initiate geothermal energy drilling.
Water developments in Nevis are currently focused on a multi-phase, systematic approach to building climate resilience and ensuring a reliable 24-hour supply for all residents.
Premier of Nevis, Hon. Mark Brantley, shared some developments in securing water for Nevis.
“An additional well has been completed in the Hamilton area. The yield of that well is 200 imperial gallons per minute. This brings the total of new water discovered thus far to 972,000 gallons per day. And so we are making great progress. You recall that our ambition was to get an additional 1.5 million gallons a day. We’re now up to 972,000 gallons a day. The next location we’ll drill at will be the upper church ground area, just off the road to Banyan.”
As of early 2026, the government continues to invest heavily in the water department to improve infrastructure, focusing on locating new water sources and expanding storage capacity.
“The new water storage tank for the New River Farmers Corp, with a capacity of 27,000 gallons, was completed on February 19th. It was commissioned just last week, bringing tremendous relief, of course, to our farmers. And then the Stony Hill water tank, with a capacity of 500,000 gallons, is presently on island. Preparations for the installation have already begun, and we expect that the erection of the tank will be completed in a few months. We’ll provide additional storage capacity for the south of the island of Nevis. Why do I mention this? Because water is life. And this government has invested and continues to invest in water security for the people of Nevis. There is no community in Nevis that is without water. Every community in Nevis has 24-hour supply, seven days a week. And I think that that is instructive for those who want to build, for those who want to develop, for those who want to invest, the water security in Nevis.”
Due to decreased rainfall, the government has adopted a proactive approach, including studying and implementing solutions to ensure a consistent supply for residential, agricultural, and tourist needs.
“This was a deliberate plan. It started by upgrading the distribution network across the island. I think all of us remember when the island was a construction zone. We’re digging up the roads, placing the blue polyurethane pipes, modern technology. Then we invested significantly in new storage. And as I’ve just indicated, we have just purchased and had delivered another 500,000-gallon storage tank. Again, those of you, if you drive around, you go up in the hills, you’ll see these beautiful storage, modern storage tanks that have been erected. And then the last bit of that, we are now finding new water. We have commissioned already a small desalination plant, and we are now doing drilling. And this morning, I was able to report that that drilling thus far has yielded some 972,000 additional gallons of water per day. That, I think, by any estimate, is an incredible record on water and water management in the island of Nevis.”
Major well-drilling efforts began in July 2024, with contracts to drill nine new wells to tap groundwater reserves.
Two wells at Maddens were successfully drilled by May 2025, reaching depths of 700 feet and yielding significant water. Work continues in securing more water in 2026.
