Thousands of residents in St Elizabeth benefit from new water projects
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Everald Warmington, is reporting that over 50,000 residents in St Elizabeth are now benefiting from new water projects.
Making his contribution to the 2021/2022 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 5, Warmington said the projects were undertaken by the National Water Commission (NWC).
He pointed out that several other parishes have also seen improvement in their water supply.
“The NWC is also engaged in upgrading several wastewater treatment plants in Clarendon, St Catherine, St Thomas, Portland and St Mary. These refurbishing works are aimed at reducing any adverse environmental impacts caused by these facilities,” Warmington said.
He added that the water agency has also continued work on the rehabilitation and upgrading of Greater Portmore, Eltham Park and Horizon Park Wastewater Treatment Plants in St Catherine, at a cost in excess of $1. 3 billion, to be expanded over three years.
The minister reported that the NWC is concluding arrangements to provide an additional 15 million gallons of water per day from the Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant to augment supply to the Greater Spanish Town area of St Catherine, and Kingston and St Andrew, under a public-private partnership arrangement.
“This will allow the commencement of the construction of a new water treatment plant during this fiscal year. The supply from this new facility will increase the robustness of supply to these areas and is key to increasing resilience to climate change impacts. It is anticipated that the arrangements will be finalised, and construction of the facility will commence during the fiscal year,” he told the House.
Warmington underscored that the NWC is committed to intensifying its efforts to improve the operational efficiency and reliability of its existing water supply systems, and the performance of its waste-water treatment and sewerage facilities, as well as to extend its water supply and sewerage infrastructure to provide piped water and sewerage services, aimed at achieving the target of 85 per cent coverage of the population.
