Since last Tuesday, the V.I. Water and Power Authority has been unable to produce water on St. Thomas due to a boiler that went offline at the Randolph Harley Power Plant, causing the utility to restrict water service to all its customers.
The water shortage prompted WAPA to advise its customers Monday afternoon that it would not pump water to them during the night to ensure sufficient supply for customers Tuesday morning, and to serve St. Thomas schools throughout the day. Tuesday, they will pump water from 6 a.m to 8 a.m.
The conservation schedule has been in effect since Nov. 15, when Unit 11 steam turbine tripped offline. Customers in Kirwan Terrace, Lindberg Bay, Contant, Anna’s Fancy, Altona, Solberg, Upper Savan, Agnes Fancy, Frenchtown, Upper Hospital Ground, Berg’s Home, Paul M. Pearson Gardens, Estate Thomas, and Tutu High Rise experienced loss of potable water service from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.
To mitigate the problem, WAPA has been using the V.I. National Guard to help distribute water. Friday, the Guard erected four mobile water plants into the Harley plant’s water system in Sub Base, which have collectively been able to produce 250,000 gallons of water a day.
WAPA spokeswoman Casandra Dunn said that the authority hopes to get Unit 11 back online by Tuesday, emphasizing that personnel had been working around the clock to get the repairs fixed.
“If we can get Unit 11 back online by tomorrow, than we can put additional water plants online and would be able to relax the water conservation schedule,” Dunn said.
Currently, the authority has two water plants working in tandem, and they aid the plant’s water production, but do not provide regular round-the-clock supply. WAPA plans to work continuously until they get Unit 11 back online.
“We know it’s a holiday week and our goal is to be able to provide water for our customers for Thanksgiving,” Dunn said.
WAPA is reminding customers that once pumping begins at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, it may take a short period of time for water pressure to build up to individual homes or businesses at higher elevations. To avoid possible mishaps when water returns, please leave faucets in the closed position until water pressure is available.
WAPA is also requesting that customers with cisterns primarily use that source of water to assist in relieving some of the demand on the system. This will help WAPA’s efforts to build storage over the next several days. It is anticipated that a water conservation schedule will continue for the next several days but as storage improves, more hours of availability will be added to the schedule.
Updates will be available by radio, on WAPA’s website at www.viwapa.vi or by calling 774-3552 and press #6 for periodic updates. Water haulers are advised that the St. Thomas standpipes are temporarily closed for operation at this time. WAPA sincerely regrets the inconveniences of the water conservation schedule and is working around the clock to service to St. Thomas customers.