Saint Lucia Targets April Start for Northern Pipeline Project as Water Working Group Gains Momentum

(Castries, Saint Lucia –Tuesday, March 10th 2026)- Saint Lucia’s efforts to address ongoing dry-season water supply challenges continued on Friday, March 6, 2026, as public and private sector representatives gathered to advance the work of the multi-stakeholder working group.

The meeting builds on the high-level engagement convened by Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre on March 4 with leaders from the tourism and business community, which called for closer collaboration on both immediate responses and longer-term strategies to strengthen national water security.

Representatives from the Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO), the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA), the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Public Utilities, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Saint Lucia Manufacturers’ Association participated in the discussions.

A key update during the meeting was the Northern Pipeline Project, targeting Bonne Terre to Gros Islet. The project is scheduled to commence in April 2026 and is expected to take approximately four months to complete. This will strengthen water distribution capacity in the northern corridor, one of Saint Lucia’s most densely populated and economically active areas.

The group also examined barging water from Dominica as a short-term measure to support supply during the dry season. The initiative is at an advanced stage, with initial shipments expected in the coming weeks. The measure is designed to reduce demand on WASCO’s system, allowing greater prioritisation of supply to residential communities while supporting commercial and tourism operations.

Other discussions focused on strengthening long-term water resilience. These included expanding alternative sources such as desalination and rainwater harvesting, improving short-term water delivery capacity through water trucking, and enhancing wastewater and sewage management to protect coastal and marine environments.

Chief Executive Officer of the SLHTA, Noorani Azeez, said: “Addressing Saint Lucia’s water challenges will require coordinated action. Friday’s session provided an opportunity for us to build on the ongoing discussions and continue working together on immediate relief measures, medium-term infrastructure improvements, and longer-term resilience planning. The private sector will continue to play its part in the working group to support effective water management across the island.”

The working group will continue to meet regularly to review progress and identify practical measures that can help ease pressure on the national water system.