This agreement provides funding to the U.S. Virgin islands (USVI) department of planning and natural resources (DPNR) to enhance the resilience of drinking water systems against natural hazards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 awarded $400,000 under the Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program (CFDA 66.448) to the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) on September 1, 2025, to enhance the resilience of drinking water systems on the island of St. Croix against natural hazards through September 1, 2027. The project will deliver novel data collection and analytical tools to support water management decision-making by deploying a wireless sensor network across household and community cisterns to monitor water use patterns and rainwater storage availability during normal and drought conditions. Additionally, the project will develop an integrated water supply model that simulates the territory's complex water system—combining existing piped water distribution infrastructure with new rainwater harvesting and water truck delivery models—to assess water security for cistern-dependent residents and provide recommendations for improved public water system management.

The University of the Virgin Islands will serve as the primary sub-awardee, responsible for implementing the wireless sensor network deployment, conducting household surveys, and developing an operational water supply model as a web-based tool for DPNR and the Water and Power Authority (WAPA) to enhance decision-making capabilities. The project outcomes will provide the first comprehensive assessment of cistern water utilization patterns and develop a complete rainwater harvesting model that identifies water sources and demand to address long-standing drought and water security challenges in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The project aims to increase the resilience of the public water system on the island of ST. Croix in the USVI by improving the water management ecosystem. IT will also assess the water security of residents who rely on cisterns and offer recommendations for managing the public water system to better meet the needs of the population that uses this system.activities:this project comprises integrated project activities that will result in novel data and tools to support DPNR and water and power authority (WAPA) decision-making process to supply drinking water in the territory. A wireless sensor network will be deployed across household and community cisterns on the island of ST. Croix to monitor water use patterns and measure the overall availability of stored rainwater during normal and drought conditions. An integrated model of water supply will be developed to simulate the USVI's complex water supply system under drought scenarios. This effort will combine established models for the conventional piped water distribution system with new models of rainwater harvesting and water truck deliveries developed from acquired sensor and survey data.subrecipient:the project will be led by the USVI DPNR. Subawards will be provided to the university of the virgin islands for implementation and deployment of the wireless sensor network and surveys. Also to implement the operational water supply model as a web tool for USVI water managers at DPNR and WAPA. Outcomes:this project will address long-standing drought and water security challenges in the USVI by collecting real-time data on cistern water utilization. This project will develop a model of rainwater harvesting system identifying sources and demand of water needs. This project will provide for the first time a complete picture of the islands' water resources that will enable them to more effectively plan for droughts that are expected. Results of this research will be integrated into territorial hazard management plans. Operational model of ST. Croix water system executed on amazone web services (AWS) server environment, using meteorological forecasts from the national water model. Direct beneficiaries of this project will be the population of ST. Croix in USVI.