The Dominica Water and Sewage Company (DOWASCO) has announced a delay in the completion of its EC$32 million Water Sector Strategic Development Project, with a new target date now set for September 30, 2026.
The project, funded by the Caribbean Development Bank through the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund, was originally expected to be completed by the end of March this year. However, DOWASCO says a series of setbacks have affected construction timelines across several communities.
In a statement issued on May 13, the company cited weather-related disruptions, difficult terrain, equipment challenges, and administrative delays as the main reasons for the revised completion date.
According to DOWASCO, a formal request for the extension has already been submitted to the Caribbean Development Bank and approval is expected shortly.
The large-scale infrastructure programme covers several communities including Grand Fond, Morne Jaune, Calibishie, Castle Bruce, Coulibistrie, Morne Rachette, and Salisbury. The works are intended to improve water reliability, storage capacity, and distribution systems in areas that have historically experienced service disruptions and infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Despite the delays, DOWASCO says substantial progress has already been made on multiple components of the project.
“All pipes have been laid in Grand Fond,” the company stated, while adding that installation of the cross-country supply pipeline between Grand Fond and Morne Jaune is now more than 60 percent complete.
New storage tanks have also been installed in both Grand Fond and Morne Jaune, with replacement works on sections of the distribution network continuing in affected communities.
The infrastructure programme forms part of wider national efforts to modernize Dominica’s water sector and improve resilience against droughts, storms, landslides, and other climate-related disruptions that have increasingly affected utility services across the island.
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