Two new projects supported by the Caribbean Development Bank are aiming to ease water shortage problems on the island of St Lucia.

The John Compton Dam Rehabilitation and the Vieux Fort Water Supply Redevelopment projects will “help end acute water shortages that have threatened the livelihoods of residents and stymied the growth of businesses in the north and south of Saint Lucia,” the Caribbean Development Bank said in a statement.

The projects could help improve access for more than 100,000 people on the island.

“We are pleased to support these two projects, which, when completed, will improve water access for the people who need it most and stimulate economic growth and social development in Saint Lucia,” said Andrew Dupigny, Division Chief, Economic Infrastructure Division, CDB.

The John Compton Dam Rehabilitation Project aims to improve the reliability of the water supply in northern areas including Castries, Gros Islet and Anse La Raye, supported by $14.8 million USD in funding from the CDB, the Inter-American Development Bank and the European Investment Bank.

The second project, the Vieux Fort Water Supply Redevelopment Project, looks to upgrade water supply infrastructure and improve practices in the area.

It’s being supported by a $19.675 million loan.