NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Businessman and former Negril Chamber of Commerce President Daniel Grizzle has welcomed the commissioning of the $475-million Whitehall water pumping station in Negril.

However, he wants to see the fast-tracking of planned expansion works for the Roaring River plant.

“We appreciate what has been done because it will bring some relief to some members of the wider Negril community, which is important, but we also need to see the urgency in providing more water to the Negril area,” stated Grizzle, who owns and operates Charela Inn hotel.

The newly commissioned system, which is expected to serve eight communities, was commissioned on Thursday, August 25, 2022. The water that supplies this pumping station and the wider resort area of Negril comes from the Logwood Treatment Plant in Hanover, which is said to be at its limit. This has resulted in disruptions in Negril’s water supply at certain times of the year.

In 2017, then portfolio minister Dr Horace Chang said there were plans in place to expand the Roaring River Treatment Plant in Westmoreland. This was expected to provide additional water to meet the demands of the growing Negril community.

On Thursday, Grizzle said the project is long overdue.

“Logwood is at its limit. The demand is growing and I don’t think that we can wait until the pipes are empty before we start to do something. We have to take it seriously now,” he urged.

“Negril is growing daily, and that is good. Not only is it growing from the question of accommodation for tourists but every time you create room for the tourist, you need to have at least two rooms for workers,” the hotelier reasoned.

Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Matthew Samuda pointed out that more than 9,000 people in approximately seven communities are expected to benefit from the Whitehall water system.

“This system can give you up to 500,000 gallons per day… with these two pumping stations and two storage reservoirs and transmission pipelines, this is not a small project. This is one that we are proud of. It is one that the prime minister gave his word on that we have delivered,” stated Samuda.

Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Western Morland Wilson told the Jamaica Observer that there are approximately 18 communities within his constituency that do not have access to potable water and that the project will assist in reducing that number.

Orange Hill, sections of Retirement, and Brighton are now getting domestic water supply for the first time.

“All we really need is pipelines. I have been speaking to the parish manager to get pipelines in these communities so we can improve and increase the number of residents who are on these water systems,” stated Wilson.

He listed Prospect, Negril Spot, Hopewell, Retirement, and Mango Hill as areas which are yet to receive piped water.

“The intention is to work with NWC [National Water Commission] to get those pipes in, and then we would have covered this entire block with potable water to residents,” said Wilson.