ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (August 27, 2026) – The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority understands how difficult it has been for customers across St. Croix who have not been able to rely on consistent potable water service. For some, this has been a challenge for the past week. For others, intermittent service has been a reality since the beginning of summer.
We recognize the frustration and hardship this has caused our customers and we want the community to know that our teams are working every day to stabilize the system.
St. Croix is facing a difficult combination of circumstances. According to information reported by the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency and NOAA, the territory is currently experiencing Level 3, or Extreme Drought conditions. This is particularly challenging because what would be a wetter period during hurricane season has instead become an extended dry season.
As cisterns run low, more customers are turning to the potable water system. That has significantly increased water demand at a time when the water distribution system is already under strain.
Seven Seas Water Group, which operates the reverse osmosis water production facility, has increased water production throughout the duration of the extended drought period. The challenge is not simply making water available. It is moving that water through an aging distribution system quickly enough to meet demand without causing additional breaks.
That challenge became particularly evident over the past several days.
WAPA water crews have responded to major leaks in Kingshill near Alfredo Andrews School, Estate Mountain/Mt. Pleasant and the Harbor View/Princesse area. Repairs in Kingshill were completed Friday afternoon, while the initial repair in Mt. Pleasant was completed Friday morning. Another leak was subsequently discovered in Mt. Pleasant and repaired Saturday. Repairs were also completed in the Harbor View area on Saturday.
As those repairs were completed, customers in surrounding communities began to see relief within hours. By Sunday and Monday, additional customers were experiencing improved service, although some higher-elevation areas took longer to recover, with some customers not seeing improvement until Tuesday.
Then another leak was discovered in Catherine's Rest.
These leaks have significantly reduced the inventory in the Kingshill storage tank and set back much of the progress that had been made. As tank levels fell once again, customers who had begun to see improved service again experienced low or no water pressure because their service areas are gravity-fed.
This is why the current situation is so challenging. The St. Croix water system is interconnected. Water produced at Richmond must travel through a network of pipes, pumps, tanks and other infrastructure to reach customers throughout the island. A break or increased demand early in that system will impact customers much farther down the line, including Frederiksted.
The infrastructure is also aging. When demand is unusually high, pushing more water through vulnerable sections of the system can increase pressure and contribute to additional breaks. Our teams are therefore managing the system carefully each day, including adjusting water hauler hours to help maintain more consistent pressure leaving the pump station that feeds directly into the distribution system.
With the island continuing to experience drought and no meaningful rainfall to replenish cisterns and reduce demand, every gallon matters. We ask customers to use water carefully and avoid high-volume consumption whenever possible. Filling a cistern with a hose or using large amounts of water at one time can reduce pressure for customers farther down the system and slow the recovery of the Kingshill tank.
Conservation will not solve the infrastructure challenges we face, but it can help us manage the system while our teams work to repair leaks and maintain service.
We also ask customers to be our eyes on the ground. If you see water pooling along a roadway, a stream with no obvious source, unusually green or saturated grass, or another indication of a possible leak, please report it. What may appear to be a small leak could be affecting water pressure in your neighborhood or contributing to a much larger system problem.
Please report water outages and suspected leaks to WAPA at www.viwapa.vi or call 340-773-2250 ext. 3065 Monday-Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM.
Our teams are continuing to monitor the system, respond to leaks, manage pressure and make repairs as quickly and safely as possible. We will continue to provide updates as conditions change.
The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority Communication’s department is committed to reaching, informing, and connecting with the youngest members of the community to the eldest, through meaningful, transparent and effective communication.