Jamaica to benefit from wastewater management project

BY LUKE DOUGLAS Observer senior reporter douglasl@jamaicaobserver.com

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

JAMAICA is one of four Caribbean and Central American countries that will benefit from a US$15-million pilot project that seeks to reform and finance the management of wastewater in the region.

It is hoped that the project — the Global Environment Facility Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management (GEF-CReW) -- will help to reduce the amount of untreated wastewater being discharged into the Caribbean Sea from the current unacceptable 85 per cent.

Speaking at the launch of the project at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St Andrew yesterday, minister of land, environment and climate change Robert Pickersgill said in addition to the environmental impact, damage by untreated wastewater to the marine environment can result in severe social and economic consequences to the region's people. This is so as the Caribbean is the region in the world that is most dependent on tourism for jobs and income.

"It stands to reason, therefore, that there is an urgent need to increase the coverage of wastewater treatment in the Caribbean which at present is far below needed levels," Pickersgill said.

He noted that a 2001 Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) report concluded that less than half of households in the Caribbean had sewer connections and only 17 per cent were connected to acceptable collection and treatment systems.

CReW aims to provide sustainable financing for the wastewater sector; support policy and legislative reform and foster dialogue and knowledge exchange among key stakeholders in the wider Caribbean, the minister disclosed.

The four-year project is receiving support from co-implementers the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations Environment Programme.

The first component involves investment and innovative financing of wastewater management to the tune of US$15.073 million. Belize, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados have also been chosen along with Jamaica to test pilot financing mechanisms.

Project co-ordinator of CReW Denise Forrest said the project will address issues that have been a barrier to effective wastewater management, such as high cost, the absence of a policy framework and the lack of information on the subject.

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Jamaica to benefit from wastewater management project