KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The National Water Commission (NWC) under their new Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) rate review request, intends to subsidise the first 2,000 gallons of water used by customers.

“According to international standards, 2,000 gallons of water is more than enough to supply the needs of the average family for a month,” Corporate Public Relations Manager at the NWC, Charles Buchanan, said.

He added that people who use between 2,500 and 7,000 gallons per month will also receive some level of subsidy. However, customers who use over 7,000 gallons of water monthly will be expected to pay the full service cost.

“We want Jamaicans to use water efficiently and not waste water. Studies have shown that the price persons pay for utility influences their consumption patterns,” Buchanan explained.

“More than 30 per cent of our residential customers use up to 2,000 gallons of water per month, and this will be heavily subsidised, and if the rate increase is approved, those customers should only see about a five per cent increase on their bills,” he noted.

He said that the NWC intends to ramp up their water conservation public education efforts to ensure that Jamaicans are aware of the various ways to conserve water.

“We want persons to practise the four ‘Rs’ of water conservation, which are ‘reduce, reuse, repair and replace’,” Buchanan said.

“Reducing water usage, reusing wastewater and replacing and repairing leaky faucets can result in more favourable bills,” he added.