CASTRIES, Saint Lucia - For many years, the scenic community of Perou, La Croix Maingot in Castries, Saint Lucia has not had a steady water supply. But by the start of 2016, households in the area should have reliable water connections, signaling the end of their longstanding challenges with access to the basic commodity. On October 6, 2015, the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) signed a contract with the Water and Sewage Company for the completion of the Perou, La Croix Maingot Water Supply Enhancement Sub-Project over the next three months. To help tackle the water challenges in Perou, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), through its Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), has provided a grant of USD108,718. The Government of Saint Lucia has contributed USD5,722 to the initiative. “Access to a safe and reliable water supply is critical to improving the livelihoods of the people of Perou. This initiative is just one of several stories of progress in BNTF' 36-year history of improving basic infrastructure to reduce poverty in communities across the Caribbean Region," said George Yearwood, Operations Officer, Social Sector Division. The sub-project will also include training in water resource management and maintenance, and waste management for 25 residents of Perou. “We must treat water as a very precious commodity so that we do not waste it. So our capacity building component of the project is all in an attempt to have a sustainable water project here in this community," said Joachim Henry, Executive Director of the SSDF. Officials from the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund and the Water and Sewage Company sign a contract for the completion of the Perou, La Croix Maingot Water Supply Enhancement Sub-Project on October 6, 2015. The project is scheduled for completion by the beginning of 2016. In Perou, 0.5km of four-inch water mains will be installed, connecting 17 households to a reliable water supply through the sub-project, which is being implemented under the seventh cycle of the Basic Needs Trust Fund Programme. It is the first of five CDB interventions in water and sanitation in Saint Lucia under the seventh and eighth cycles of BNTF. These include the George Charles Boulevard Public Facility in Marchand; the Ravine Poisson Public Facility; the Colombette-Bouton water supply enhancement; and proposed improvement of the water supply in Canaries. The total grant allocation for Saint Lucia under BNTF 7 is USD4.98 million (mn). The Government of Saint Lucia will contribute US0.76mn. BNTF is administered by the SSDF in Saint Lucia. To learn more about the Fund, visit caribank.org/programmes/basic-needs-trust-fund.