OPPOSITION Senator Dr Christopher Tufton wants the Government to make it mandatory for future residential developments to include a rainwater harvesting system to address water shortages.

The request was made in a resolution tabled in the Senate last week, which noted that Jamaican governments have been increasingly challenged to provide adequate water related to infrastructure to address yearly, predictable drought conditions.

“The taxpayers, through their government, spend millions of dollars each year to militate against the adverse impact of these drought conditions, through a range of water provision activities,” he stated.

“Experts have projected, based on population increases and global warming, that global projections of fresh water resources are expected to come under increasing pressure in the years to come,” Dr Tufton added.

In light of these issues, he urged the Senate to “recommend to the Government that consideration be given to the establishment of a policy to mandate all future residential developments to include a rain water harvesting system, as a critical component to addressing predictable water shortages in the future”.