JUNCTION, St Elizabeth – After years of thirst, water is again flowing into the homes of fast-growing Junction, and a range of other communities stretching from south-east St Elizabeth to southern Manchester.

But the threat posed by water thieves who have played a lead role in extensively damaging the water distribution system down the years, remains.

At a commissioning ceremony Friday for the New Forrest/Bull Savannah, Junction scheme the authorities warned “selfish” farmers who have siphoned off residential water for their crops leaving taps in homes and business places dry, that their longstanding practice has to stop.

Politicians at the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Water and Housing Donald Buchanan, his junior minister Harry Douglas and member of parliament for South east St Elizabeth Lenworth Blake told National Water Commission (NWC) officials “to do whatever you have to do” to stop the theft of water.

The theft of domestic water is “criminal” behaviour, said Buchanan, and should be treated as such.

NWC officials welcomed the support of the political directorate, arguing that water theft and the vandalising of pipe lines by anti-social farmers had been major reasons for the inadequacy of water supplies in the area since the scheme was first commissioned years ago.

A release circulated at the commissioning ceremony told how the situation worsened last week with “lawless elements” over-running the NWC station in New Forrest.

They “padlocked” the NWC’s security contractor in the facility and “prevented the NWC from operating the system”, the release said.

This was in retaliation for a drive by the NWC to remove illegal connections in the community and also to disconnect those who use domestic water without paying.

Communities in south St Elizabeth and south Manchester are often described as Jamaica’s bread basket, providing much of the island’s vegetables.

But that section of the island is one of, if not, the driest.

Enterprising farmers have partly dealt with the problem of very little water for much of the year by using sound agricultural practices. But shortage and, in most cases, the absence of irrigation water remains a huge drawback.

On Friday, NWC vice president of the Western Division Florence Logan said her agency was prepared to work out “arrangements” to share the available water with farmers.

“If they cooperate we can share it, we can share the water,” said Logan. “We can sell them water. We will sit down with them and see how well we can work it out with them,” she added.

But she said, if there was a failure to cooperate, the NWC had security “options” which she said she was not prepared to go into detail about at this time.

On Friday, the parties again agreed that the development of irrigation schemes was the answer to the long-standing problem. And Buchanan announced that the government was making fundamental moves to address the issue starting with the development next year of a “brand new irrigation system” in south west St Elizabeth servicing the communities of the Pedro Plains extending eastwards from Hounslow, through Newell, Short Hill, Claremont, and adjoining areas.

“The distribution lines are in place, we are starting now to do the on-farm connections. We have ordered the pumping equipment. By June 2006 that will be a fulfilled irrigation system,” he said.

The Government will also be rehabilitating the “old” Hounslow irrigation scheme in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank.

Also, the Inter American Development Bank has approved financing for another system, the Essex Valley/Duff House irrigation scheme, which will service a number of communities, including New Forrest, Lititz and Spring Ground.

As to the New Forrest/Bull Savannah, Junction domestic water scheme, communities to be served by the system include Alligator Pond, Spring Ground new Forrest, Duff House, Bull Savannah, Comma Pen, Tryall, Ballards Valley, Exton, Cheapside, Chapman, Ridge and Dunder Hill.

Buchanan told the Sunday Observer that the rehabilitation of the scheme involved the replacement and rerouting of pipelines largely destroyed by illegal connection down the years – costing about $50 million over three phases and $15 million over the last 12 months.

Government also had plans for the further expansion of domestic water schemes, including the Essex Valley Domestic Water Supply System, which is a partnership between the NWC, the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), and the Nain-based bauxite alumina producers Alpart.

The NWC would provide $100 million to the partnership, with JBI and Alpart providing $30 million each.

“Alpart gave us the land, NWC dug the well, and we have now begun the process of equipping the well, so that the moment we are ready we will lay the distribution system,” said Buchanan.

“In late ’06 water will be flowing to that section of South East St Elizabeth,” he said.

myersg@jamaicaobserver.com