WATER PRESSURE STILL LOW ON ST. CROIX’S WEST END

Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority water technicians have detected additional problems on St. Croix’s water distribution system which have resulted in very low or no water pressure west of Estate William’s Delight into Frederiksted town. According to Rupert Pelle, Director of Water Distribution-St. Croix, all maintenance personnel have been dispatched to search the water distribution route for any possible leak that may be causing the continuing depressurization of the system in the western end of the island.

Customers are urged to report any running water that they may discover in gutters at the edge of the road to 773-3775 or 773-2250 extension #2. Such information will greatly assist water technicians in detecting a leak that may be contributing to the system problems.

Problems began on Sunday morning when a failure in St. Croix’s Contentment Pump Station caused the distribution system from Estate Contentment to Frederiksted town to depressurize. The depressurization occurred because water is being pumped directly to water customers from the Estate Richmond tank through the Contentment Pump Station due to the low storage levels in the Kingshill and Mountain water tanks. . Repairs were completed at the pump station, however, on Sunday night water operations and maintenance crews determined that a main line valve west of Estate William’s Delight had collapsed internally, blocking the flow of water to the Frederiksted area. Water maintenance personnel fixed the valve and discovered this morning that only limited service was restored into Frederiksted town.

Water personnel will detect and fix the problem as soon as possible, Pelle said. WAPA apologizes to its customers for the inconveniences created as a result of the water service interruption on St. Croix’s west end.