KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Government has boosted water and service reliability in several rural communities.

To this end, several water-supply systems were commissioned at a cost of $437 million, cumulatively benefiting more than 52,000 Jamaicans living in rural communities.

Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Everald Warmington, made the disclosure during his contribution to the 2023/24 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

He also informed that in 2022, the Government distributed several 50,000-gallon water tanks, adding that “this ministry is working to improve the lives of all Jamaicans”.

Meanwhile, the National Water Commission (NWC) replaced aged transmission lines during the 2022/23 financial year.

“Of note, the Spanish Town Road Transmission Main Replacement works were completed.

Additionally, the NWC, in collaboration with the National Works Agency (NWA), continued the installation/replacement of pipelines along several corridors under the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Programme (SCHIP), Warmington said.

He also informed that there are plans to roll out the Non-Revenue Water programme (NRW) islandwide, in the short to medium term.

“The NRW programme has yielded significant results, as we have seen a 26 per cent reduction in water losses in Portmore, and the project has surpassed its target of 60 per cent in Kingston and St Andrew,” Warmington stated.