Just weeks after a sales tax hike, Antiguans and Barbudans are facing another blow with increased water costs.
The Cabinet revealed the decision during a post-meeting briefing, indicating a March 1 implementation for commercial customers and a later adjustment for residential users.
Melford Nicholas, overseeing the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), explained: “The Cabinet did give its consent and I certainly did ask the management team to move towards implementation of a change in commercial prices for water.”
General commercial customers will see an EC$10 rise per 1000 gallons, a 20 per cent increase, while the cruise port faces a hefty 75 per cent increase of EC$25 per 1000 gallons.
Nicholas emphasised the necessity of these adjustments, highlighting their role in repaying loans for enhanced water infrastructure.
“We know there is a way of recovering the monies that will produce more water because of the rate changes that are pending, then we will be in a position to service that loan from more internal resources.
“The consolidated loan from ACB and its partners is going to be able to allow us to improve on the metering systems,” he said.
Despite these plans, some residents are unhappy, citing irregular water access. Nicholas, however, assured that the rate changes would improve service reliability, indicating a potential end to water woes.