BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC) – The St Kitts and Nevis government says its multi-million dollar (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) ground water drilling project has recorded a major breakthrough following the successful drilling of a new groundwater well in Saddlers, north of here.

It said that the Saddlers well is the first to be drilled under the project being undertaken by St Kitts Water Services Department, in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago-based Water and Oil Well Services and technical specialists.

The programme forms part of the government’s broader strategy to expand water production and move St Kitts towards reliable 24-hour water service island-wide.

The government said that the Saddlers site was prioritised following extensive airborne surveying and hydrogeological assessments that identified 17 prospective drilling locations across St Kitts, with the wider exploration programme focusing heavily on communities that have historically experienced intermittent water service.

Drilling at Saddlers has now been completed, with the well reaching a total depth of approximately 640 feet after encountering the water table at roughly 500 feet. The project team is currently conducting safe-yield testing to determine the amount of water that can be sustainably extracted from the source over time.

The government said that initial testing has already produced approximately 175 US gallons of water per minute and project manager Joshua Ross has described the Saddlers well as “a very promising well,” noting that the projected output represents an exceptional volume of water from a single groundwater source.

The authorities say that once the permanent pump is installed and final testing is completed, work will advance on construction of the pump house, installation of associated infrastructure and connection of the new supply to the existing water distribution system.

“The additional supply is expected to significantly strengthen water availability for Saddlers and surrounding communities, including Harris’ Village, Lavington and Belle Vue. Officials have also indicated that, because of the volume of water anticipated from the well, the new supply could potentially be redirected to support other neighbouring areas when required,” the government said in a statement.

“The significance of the find is underscored by the fact that the existing source supplying the Saddlers area currently produces approximately 50 gallons per minute. The new well therefore has the potential to add several times the volume currently being supplied to the area and substantially improve the resilience of the local water system,”  it added.

Chief water engineer Landrith Isaac said that the groundwater programme is being implemented alongside other major investments in water infrastructure, including the Basseterre Desalination Plant, which was commissioned in February 2026 and added approximately two million gallons of water per day to the national supply.

According to Isaac, these interventions are designed to work together as part of a coordinated national approach to increasing production, improving interconnectivity between water systems and ensuring that communities across St Kitts have access to a dependable supply.

“Everything has to work together to ensure that everyone gets a 24-hour supply,” Isaac said, further indicating that once the new groundwater wells are completed and integrated into the system, St Kitts is projected to achieve approximately 99.9 per cent 24-hour water service coverage.

The drilling programme is expected to continue over an estimated period of approximately 18 months, subject to geological conditions encountered at the respective locations.

“The government of St Kitts and Nevis remains committed to addressing long standing water challenges through sustained investment and a structured, multi-pronged approach aimed at delivering reliable, sustainable and ultimately 24-hour water service to communities across St Kitts,” the statement said.