After approximately a week’s worth of rainfall, the water level at Hermitage Dam in St Andrew has climbed to 65 per cent of its 393-million gallon capacity, while the level at Mona Reservoir has only risen to 36 per cent of its 809-million gallon capacity.

Charles Buchanan, corporate public relations manager at the National Water Commission (NWC), is still urging customers to conserve water, as that, he said, will not only help with the systems but will serve customers well, since they will see a reduction in their water bills.

“While the current water levels represent meaningful improvement for us, especially in the case of the Hermitage Dam, it is to be recognised that 36 per cent at the Mona reservoir is still considered to be critically low,” Buchanan said.

“At this time of the year, at the beginning of June, we would have normally benefited from significant May rains; there would usually be either full or near full capacities at both reservoirs. And so, while we appreciate the improvement that has been experienced, we are nonetheless at a point in time when, under normal conditions, we would be preparing for the next dry season,” Buchanan said.

“This means that the NWC needs to be carefully monitoring the levels with the hope that there will be a faster rate of increase, especially at the Mona Reservoir, to take us out of this very low situation, and to see the Hermitage Dam come to full capacity soon,” he added.

Buchanan also noted that with the current rainfall, more people were able to be served. However, some people may still be experiencing issues as the drought has only been one factor affecting water supply in some areas.

“In the Corporate Area, we had highlighted that there were several different things affecting people’s ability to receive water, including the fact that the 18-inch pipeline at Ferry in St Andrew has been broken and was out of service.

“So, there are a number of persons whose supply was being affected by other things other than the drought conditions, or whose supply was being exacerbated by the drought conditions. So, depending on what was the primary cause of the problem, those customers may see a change in their experience,” he said.

In an advertisement placed in the Jamaica Observer on May 21, the NWC said that the shortage in water supply is a result of drought affecting sections of the island, forcing the agency to employ stricter conservation measures.

Those measures include a ban on the use of potable water supplied by the NWC to water lawns, gardens, wash cars, pathways or pavements, or to fill swimming pools and ponds. The filling of tanks, except for domestic use, is also not allowed, neither is any activity which may require the use of a considerable or excessive amount of water.

The prohibition notice affects 90 water supply systems, and people who disregard the notice could be liable for prosecution resulting in a fine or 30 days’ imprisonment.