Transforming Water and Sanitation in Sint Maarten: Pathways to a Cleaner Future

From crystal-clear waters to vibrant coral reefs, Sint Maarten's natural beauty is more than just scenery-it is the heartbeat of the island's economy. But that beauty is under threat. Pollution, aging sanitation infrastructure, climate change and environmental degradation are straining daily life and putting public health, marine ecosystems, and the tourism-driven economy at risk.

The connection between clean waters and public health

Sint Maarten faces a serious sanitation challenge: while 96 percent of households have piped water, only about 11 percent are connected to sewer networks. The World Bank estimates that roughly 74 percent of excreta is unsafely managed, putting both residents and marine ecosystems at risk from untreated wastewater and fecal sludge.

Over the past four decades, Sint Maarten's rapid economic and population growth outpaced wastewater infrastructure investment. Although the government has built a municipal wastewater treatment plant and some sewer networks, coverage remains limited, leaving many areas unserved.

Last year, the Sint Maarten Trust Fund Program - a tripartite partnership of the Government of the Netherlands, the Government of Sint Maarten, and the World Bank - allocated USD 10 million through the Sint Maarten Wastewater Management Project to lay the ground work for Sint Maarten to develop an enabling environment to expand and sustain safely managed sanitation service delivery nationwide. The Government of Sint Maarten also secured an additional USD 15 million from the Netherlands to further support the project.

The project is now in implementation and will rehabilitate and upgrade the A. Th. Illidge Road Wastewater Treatment Plant while expanding the sewerage network to underserved areas. It will also improve existing sewage systems to boost climate resilience and operational efficiency. Once completed, about 700 new household sewer connections-benefiting 8,400 households-and roughly 10 kilometers of sewer lines will be added, strengthening wastewater services and helping protect Sint Maarten's coastal waters and coral reefs.

"These are critical steps in strengthening the foundation of a sustainable waste sector providing a clear pathway toward advancing wastewater management solutions for St. Maarten." Claret Connor, Director of the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB), the project implementing agency.

A National Push for Action

The government and local leaders are determined to take bold steps to strengthen sanitation management and protect the island's fragile environment. A key milestone in these efforts took place during the National Workshop on Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) and Marine Ecosystem Protection[1], organized by the Ministry for Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) and the NRPB in partnership with the World Bank. National stakeholders, regional partners, and global experts gathered to accelerate progress under the project and introduced the CWIS framework, developed by the World Bank, to promote equitable, resilient, and sustainable sanitation services for all urban residents.

Roadmap for Change

Over two dynamic days, local leaders, experts, and community voices came together with a shared goal: to chart a cleaner, more sustainable future for Sint Maarten.

They began by examining critical gaps in the island's sanitation and marine management systems. With clarity on the challenges, the group looked outward, drawing inspiration from other coastal and island nations that have tackled similar threats with creativity and resolve.

New tools sparked fresh thinking. From marine pollution modeling and citizen-led water monitoring to sanitation impact maps, participants explored how data can empower smarter decisions. But strategy needs structure-and funding. So, discussions turned to policies and financing models that could support long-term, resilient infrastructure on the island.

By the end, the group laid the groundwork for a locally-driven roadmap-a living strategy tailored to Sint Maarten's unique environment, economy, and communities. These discussions emphasized "connecting the unconnected" to sewer networks, improving onsite sanitation, and strengthening septage management-with all these activities contributing to the protection of the island's marine environment.

A Sustainable Future Towards a Cleaner and Resilient Sint Maarten

Moving forward, the Government will prioritize developing and adopting the necessary policies, legal, institutional, financing, and regulatory frameworks to build consensus amongst key stakeholders to support the development of safely managed sanitation services, to establish a robust enabling environment to safeguard public health, protect critical marine ecosystems, and build a resilient tourism economy built on environmental sustainability.

[1] Conducted in May 15-16, 2025.