Sept. 11, 2001 – While Gov. Charles W. Turnbull sent out a press release on Aug. 31 urging the Water and Power Authority board to consider several water line projects on St. John, WAPA's director, Joseph R. Thomas Jr., says the request doesn't come with any money.
"These projects end up at the end of the line, so revenue is hard to find," Thomas said.
The governor called for improvements to the existing potable water lines in Cruz Bay and Pine Peace as well as installation of new lines in Adrian. Thomas said upgrading and installing these lines would not solve the island's annual winter water shortage, "but it will help, short term."
Additionally, he said, production capability at WAPA's Frank Bay plant on St. John has been increased by 80,000 gallons a day to an output of 260,000 gallons a day, and this also will help.
Thomas said the installation of a permanent undersea pipeline from Red Hook to Cruz Bay should put an end to the shortages on St. John. He said WAPA is in the midst of the permitting process to undertake that project.
WAPA also must find funding for the leg of the water-distribution system on St. Thomas that runs between Red Hook and Tutu, Thomas said. "We're working hard to get it funded," he said.
