KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Water Commission (NWC) has collaborated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to establish a local isotope hydrology laboratory.

According to NWC, a 10-day workshop is to be held to train participants from across the region on guidelines for the application of conventional hydrological techniques and isotope methods.  

The move aims to improve water resources assessment in respective countries which aids in the preservation and protection of water supplies, as well as improvements in the management of water resources.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for Water, Pearnel Charles Jr acclaimed that “the only real development is that which is sustainable”.

He affirmed the need to develop societies and economies in ways which preserve and protect natural ecosystems and resources, and projected that “Jamaica can and should be the space that people look to in the Caribbean for research and innovation”.

NWC said that between 2016 and January, 2019, it was involved in breaking new ground in water resources planning, testing and management in the region, with the implementation of a water resources assessment and sustainability project in Kingston, in collaboration with the IAEA.

With groundwater accounting for approximately 84 per cent of Jamaica’s water resources, Charles noted that the use of innovation, such as the isotope technology, will enable water experts to better understand where groundwater exists, flows and its quality.

Balford Henry