KINGSTON, Jamaica – The National Water Commission (NWC) through its alliance with MIYA WATER JAMAICA is intensifying work in Portmore, St Catherine to reduce water loss and improve water supply to customers.

To mark the ongoing achievements, the co-management team awarded 26 workers for their stalwart contribution in the area.

The awardees received prizes along with certificates of excellence during a recent staff award ceremony held on April 21 at the NWC Compound in Braeton, Portmore.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Matthew Samuda, highlighted the steps being taken by the Co-management Team to improve the water supply in Portmore, under the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Reduction Programme.

He said: “A total of twenty-two thousand (22,000) leaks [were] detected between March 21 last year, and March 22 this year.”

The Minister also reported that “a total of 19,500 leaks were repaired; 2,500 notifications of side leaks were sent to customers, and over one thousand (1,000) illegal connections were detected and disconnections carried out”, among other critical project activities.

After just one year since the implementation of the programme, water losses in Portmore have been reduced from 25,000 m3 per day to 20,000 m3 per day, based on a six-month average measurement.

Electrical consumption has also decreased, resulting in at least 290,000 KWh savings to date; in addition to the positive environmental impacts stemming from the cutback in the use of chemicals in the water treatment process.

Country Manager at MIYA Jamaica, Alvaro Ramalho, explained that the staff awards ceremony is a legacy initiative, modelled from the Kingston and Saint Andrew (KSA) NRW Programme, that seeks to recognize and motivate the NWC-MIYA workers that go the extra mile, daily, to reduce NRW in Portmore.

“It is a pleasure to see all the awardees who have benefitted from MIYA’s training under the Building Capacity and Shadowing Program, now mastering the skill-sets, coupled with the right mindset to produce excellent work in Portmore. Without the dedication of these special men and women, we could not have gleaned the amazing results we are seeing already,” Ramalho said.

The five-year NRW Programme being implemented in Portmore is scheduled for completion in 2026. A primary benefit expected from the programme is the growing improvements in the quality and efficient water supply to customers in Portmore.

Additionally, the NWC is poised to see revenue increases from an improved billing system, supported by the 20,000 new metering installations, which record accurate readings of water usage by consumers. Ramalho said expected revenue projections from the programme are“ approximately US$19 million throughout the programme, paying off the capital expenditure of around US$13 million, which was initially financed by the Government of Jamaica through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.