Government’s Groundwater Drilling Program Records Major Breakthrough in Saddlers 

Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 21, 2026 (PMO) — The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has recorded a major breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to strengthen the island’s water security, following the successful drilling of a new groundwater well in Saddlers that has produced highly promising results.

The Saddlers well is the first to be drilled under the Government’s Groundwater Drilling Project, an EC$28 million initiative 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 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.

Initial testing has already produced approximately 175 US gallons of water per minute. Project Manager Joshua Ross 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. 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 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.

Chief Water Engineer Landrith Isaac explained 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 Mr. 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,” Mr. Isaac said. He further indicated that once the new groundwater wells are completed and integrated into the system, St. Kitts is projected to achieve approximately 99.9 percent 24-hour water service coverage.

The Government’s progress in communities such as Cayon provides an indication of the impact additional groundwater sources can have. Mr. Isaac noted that, following the commissioning of the Cayon well in 2024, residents who had endured years of water shortages have since benefited from continuous water service. The objective is to replicate these improvements in other communities through the ongoing drilling programme.

With the Saddlers drilling phase successfully completed, the drilling rig has already been relocated to Newton Ground, where work on the second well is actively underway. At the time of the latest project update, drilling at Newton Ground had reached approximately 108 feet, with a target depth of between 500 and 600 feet. Officials said progress at the second site is already moving at a faster rate, aided by experience gained while overcoming geological challenges encountered during the first well.

Among the areas identified for further groundwater exploration are Black Rocks, Newton Ground, Parsons Ground, Tabernacle, Sandy Point, St. Paul’s, Brimstone Hill, Old Road, Molineaux, Stone Fort, Challengers and Cayon, as the Government systematically explores additional sources across the island.

The drilling programme is expected to continue over an estimated period of approximately 18 months, subject to geological conditions encountered at the respective locations. At the same time, supporting works,  including pipelines, electricity connections, pump houses and expanded storage, will proceed as wells are completed so that new sources can be brought into the public water system as efficiently as possible.

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis remains committed to addressing longstanding 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.

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