KINGSTON, Jamaica — As the country continues to grapple with the effects of the worsening drought conditions and with source inflows in continuous decline, the National Water Commission (NWC) says it is forced to adjust its supply times to customers who are served by the Mona Treatment Plant.

Starting tomorrow, there will be an adjustment in the daily supply time, reducing supply of the commodity from 16 hours to 12 hours.

With this adjustment, some customers are likely to experience low pressures and/or no water during the period of restriction.

Start time will be 6:00 pm, and restoration time 5:00am the following day.

‘The current dry period is now spanning some seven months, and although the NWC had taken early action to ensure water distribution is maintained at an optimum level, this was compounded with the arrival of COVID-19. This new adjustment is necessary in order to maintain supply as best as possible at an acceptable level while at the same time being mindful of the NWC’s role in the fight against the spread of the virus,” the utility said in a statement.

As at Friday, July 18, the Mona Reservoir was at 38.2 per cent of its capacity. The following areas served by Mona Treatment Plant will be impacted: sections of Mona Heights, Old Hope Road, Hope Road, Hope Flats, Lady Musgrave Road, sections of Harbour View, Cross Roads, Cassia Park Road, Mountain View Avenue, sections of Half-Way-Tree, Waterloo Road, Ravina, Devon Square, Upper Maxfield Avenue, sections of New Kingston, Hagley Park Road, Beverly Hills and downtown Kingston.

In the meantime, the NWC is reporting that there will be no changes to the current regulations that are in effect for those areas served by the Constant Spring Treatment Plant. Customers will remain on 12-hour supply cycles.

Customers in the following areas will be served between the hours of 6:00 am to 6:00pm daily: Constant Spring Road, Constant Spring Gardens, Constant Spring Grove, Central Avenue, Manor Park, Shortwood Road, White Hall Gardens, Red Hills Road, Queensborough, Queensbury, Hughenden, Havendale, Camperdown Terrace, Manning’s Hill Road and roads leading off, Arlene Gardens, Roehampton, Meadowbrook, Valentine Gardens, Calabar Mews, Ziadie Gardens, State Gardens, Molynes Road from Perkins Boulevard to the Intersection with Washington Boulevard, sections of Patrick City, sections of Pembroke Hall, and sections of Duhaney Park.

Additionally the areas below will be served between 6:00pm to 6:00am daily:Cassia Park, Hagley Park, Maxfield Avenue, Eastwood Park Gardens, Molynes Road from Eastwood Park Road to Washington Boulevard, Hagley Park Road and roads leading off, sections of Waltham Park Road, sections of downtown Kingston including Trench Town, Jones Town, Denham Town and Rose Town.

As at Friday July 18, the Hermitage Dam was at 31.5 per cent of its capacity.

“As the nation goes through this challenging period the NWC is imploring everyone to adhere to the prohibition order and make conservation a habit instead of the exception because of the current drought. We prefer our customers comply rather than be faced with the possibility of prosecution,” the NWC said.