KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Government will, this year, undertake the development and expansion of a number of water systems in order to improve service delivery to several communities islandwide.

Among these are: the Rio Cobre water and Soapberry wastewater treatment plants in St Catherine; and the Rio Bueno water treatment plant in Trelawny.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen made the announcement during his Throne Speech, themed: ‘Building a Partnership for Prosperity’ delivered at yesterday’s (April 14) Ceremonial Opening of Parliament, for the 2016/17 legislative year, at Gordon House, downtown Kingston.

The Governor General said the Rio Cobre development aims to increase water supplied to the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA) from its treatment facility at Content, St Catherine, which has a daily output of 15 million gallons.

He said that a water treatment plant will be built at Rio Bueno to provide between 15 and 20 million gallons of water per day to several adjoining communities. 

“This plant is (also) designed to meet the resort development plans for Trelawny, St Ann and St Mary…[and] will form a part of the larger North Eastern Parishes Water Supply Improvement Project,” he further outlined.

In relation to the Soapberry plant, the Governor General said the facility will be expanded to accommodate future sewage inflows from Kingston and St Andrew, Caymanas Estate and other communities in south east St Catherine.

“There will also be a thrust towards developing a modernised Kingston Sewer Collection System and an expanded non-revenue water programme,” he added.

The Governor General advised that the Government will seek to forge public/private partnerships to explore potential investment opportunities.

He indicated that the key among the stakeholders in this undertaking are: the National Water Commission (NWC), Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), and international development partners.