KINGSTON, Jamaica – Residents of Portmore in St Catherine are expected to be hit hard this week as the National Water Commission (NWC) moves to combat low water supply in the Corporate Area due to the persistent drought affecting the island.

NWC communications manager Charles Buchanan told OBSERVER ONLINE Tuesday that water from sources supplying Portmore will be diverted to the Corporate Area daily, between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Buchanan said the decision was made in response to challenges currently facing Kingston and St Andrew communities, as two of its major water sources have run dry.

He said that the new arrangements will continue until there is an ease in the drought condition.

While some residents have already reported that they are feeling the effects of the new system, Buchanan said he expects to hear additional reports as the week progresses.

The effect of the new system on Portmore residents may vary from a reduction in water supplies to no piped water at all, he explained. However, Buchanan added that the water supply to households may depend on a number of variables.

“The severity of disruptions to water supplies to residents is dependent on the elevation of the community, layout or pipeline infrastructure which supplies individual household, [as well as] volume of the output from the particular source,” he said.

In the meantime, he asked residents to be understanding as the NWC continues to devise ways to best serve customers.

Penda Honeyghan