The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority will be crediting St. Croix customers affected by high copper and lead levels $75. According to a WAPA release, 2,400 customers are eligible for the payment.
The credit reflects the average customer’s water usage of about $25 a month, with the $75 covering a three-month period. According to WAPA, the full credit will appear on bills beginning Jan. 5, the next billing cycle, and will roll over until the full $75 has been used.
“As part of our Clean Water Action initiative, this water credit and our recent water voucher distribution aim to lessen the financial impact on those who have been affected. We assure the public that we will continue to take the necessary actions to restore its trust in the water system,” noted WAPA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Smith.
Faucet and pitcher filters are also on order and customers who have been identified as eligible, including customers in the town of Frederiksted, will be notified of distribution as soon as they arrive.
While elevated levels were announced in early October, a series of subsequent tests have revealed lower levels at less than a handful of sites. Even so, St. Croix Director of Water Don Gregoire reassured customers that WAPA has not “lost sight of the continuing concerns about reddish-brown water in our system and mitigation is ongoing to relieve that situation.”
Additional fire hydrants have been installed in strategic locations across neighborhoods to assist with flushing the lines to reduce stagnant water that can cause discoloration from the aged iron pipes, he said.
Meanwhile, a Corrosion Control program is also being reviewed by the water department. The local lab team on St. Croix, with additional on-site support last week from nationally certified water treatment experts, is continuing to evaluate the water quality. With anticipated results from the Corrosion Control program in just a few months, a revised water treatment plan can significantly improve water quality, according to WAPA.
In the long term, the authority has received a $1 billion FEMA-approved grant to replace St. Croix’s entire potable water distribution system and was provided a $30 million sub-award to contract master planning and conceptual design. To maximize the accuracy of reconstructing the water system, a hydraulic model was built to determine which aspects of the current system need to be brought to industry standards, Tuesday’s release said.
For public education, WAPA will be hosting a virtual business town hall on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 10 a.m. over Zoom and Facebook livestream. To stay updated, residents can also visit cleanwaterusvi.com.