MINISTER of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Robert Pickersgill today officially broke ground for the rehabilitation of the Mona and Hope Treatment plants.

The works, estimated to cost some $1.5 billion, will be undertaken by VINCI Construction Grand Projects and will see the complete rehabilitation of the two major facilities.

The project is expected to last for 18 months and is being implemented by the National Water Commission (NWC) with financial assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony at the Mona Reservoir Complex in St. Andrew, Pickersgill said major activities has already commenced under the project, pointing to rehabilitation works underway along Hope River, as well as on-site construction.

“Preparatory and initial rehabilitation construction work on the project has already begun. The project office has already been constructed, equipped and is now in use. The workshop and project storage areas are now being prepared, and various procurement orders are already being processed,” he said.

Additionally, work is underway on the intake structures as well as the gravel and silt traps, and other sections of the aqueduct that transport the water from the Hope River to the Mona Reservoir and the Hope Treatment Plant.

Pickersgill noted that the repair of the two facilities is very critical, as combined, they represent nearly 50 per cent of the NWC’s water production capacity in all of Kingston and St. Andrew, making them the second and third largest systems in the area.

“They also serve some of the country’s most critical institutions, the business districts and other leading sectors of the country,” he noted.