KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Opposition People’s National Party’s (PNP) is again calling on the Government to immediately address the water crisis being experienced by thousands of residents across several communities in the Corporate Area, St Catherine as well as other communities in the remaining parishes.

In a statement last evening, PNP Spokesperson Ian Hayles said the Government must tell the country what is the true and full extent of the damage to the water supply and distribution systems.

He noted that the water crisis has been affecting the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA) for three months now and it has taken a turn for the worse since Monday, when a second water main was broken during major road improvement activities taking place along Mandela Highway under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP).

The National Water Commission (NWC) said the affected main was the 33-inch Rio Cobre/Tulloch Spring transmission pipeline along the southern side of the corridor.

The damage occurred in the same general vicinity of Tom Cringle Drive where another break occurred in January.

Read: Another pipeline break along Mandela Highway

The PNP shadow minister argued that the frequent damage is due to the lack of care and effective management co-ordination during construction activity.

He further reasoned that it was the responsibility of the Government to ensure effective coordination and not the NWC.

“To exacerbate the situation, it was also reported that supply line from the Constant Spring sub-station was also damaged during construction activities along the Constant Spring/Manor Park road expansion project,” he said.

The Opposition said it is appalled at the number of weekly incidents of broken mains.

“These frequent disruptions to the water system is evidence that there is no planning, care or caution being applied in the road project areas and that our critical infrastructure is being exposed to frequent damage, causing widespread water lock-offs and disruption to thousands of residents,” the party continued.

It further noted that in January, Hayles had called on the minister with the portfolio responsibility in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation to address the crisis, but to no avail.

Consequently, the party said it is again calling on the minister to convene an all-party meeting of all stakeholders to guarantee the protection of the water supply infrastructure and to ensure than damaged mains are quickly repaired in order to bring relief to the many households now without supply.