MAY PEN, Clarendon – The government is moving to improve the present water supplies schemes and to construct a new system in the parish of Clarendon.

Under the initiative, a new system will be constructed in Mocho, while the supply schemes serving the communities of New Longsville, Mount Providence, Blackwood, Bucknor, Victor and Roosevelt Avenues, will be upgraded.

State minister for housing, transport, water and works, Dr Fenton Ferguson, who toured the project areas recently, said that the Mocho project, which was being undertaken in conjunction with the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) and Jamalco, would involve the pumping of water from Sheckles Pen. He said the new system would ensure adequate water supplies to meet the needs of residents.

“.Presently, we’re dealing with 9,000 households from the present system and the NWC (National Water Commission) is able to supply somewhere in the region of 230,000 gallons per day,” the state minister said, noting that this was inadequate to meet the water demand of about 333,000 gallons per day.

In the meantime, Dr Ferguson said a technical team, led by my chief technical director, Desmond Munroe, will also be liaising with the NWC vice-president Courtney Lawson and others in the commission regarding the project.

Estimates for construction of the Mocho water supply system will be completed within the next two weeks, Dr Ferguson said.

Member of Parliament for North Central Clarendon Pearnel Charles, who was also on the tour, commended the government for its efforts to address the water problems in Mocho.

“Mocho has been without water for many years. There are 17 schools and only four have running water and I’m very happy that what I would call rapid response has taken place between the NWC, Jamalco and the Bauxite Institute,” Charles said.

Meanwhile, Minister Ferguson said a total $21 million has been allocated to improve schemes in North Central and Central Clarendon.

He said that in North Central Clarendon, $15 million was being spent to replace a decayed distribution line and install a pumping main from Sign to Mount Providence under a programme funded by the European Union, which is expected to be completed by the end of August.

In addition, 380 lengths of pipe were being installed in the New Longsville area at a cost of $2.7 million, while in the Blackwoods community, a decayed tank was being replaced at a cost of $3.8 million.

In Central Clarendon, the project to install a new tank in Bucknor at a cost of $8 million has been completed. Minor works are being undertaken to acquire a float valve for the tank, complete a valuation on the property where the tank is located, and to fence the property.

At Victor Avenue in Central Clarendon, half of a kilometre of new four-inch pipes were laid at a cost of $2.9 million and the extension of four-inch and two-inch pipes at Roosevelt Avenue is being undertaken at a cost of $1.5 million, with the project to be completed in two weeks.

Member of Parliament for Central Clarendon Mike Henry urged residents who would be benefitting from the improved systems, to pay their obligations to the NWC.