SHAW CASTLE, St James – Excited at the prospect that water running along the Shaw Castle main road in St James may be a sign of an untapped supply that can be harnessed for residents’ use, Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie has promised that a search will be launched for the source.

“I will ask Minister [Matthew] Samuda to have Rural Water come here to explore that possibility and to see how we can use that precious resource that is running to waste, because it is hundreds of gallons that is running away on a daily basis,” said McKenzie.

He was speaking with journalists on Wednesday during a tour of southern St James.

McKenzie is hoping the supply will be enough to set up a water shop in Shaw Castle. Water shops provide a potable supply of the commodity in areas where there is none. It is a social good and residents are not required to pay.

“Coming up here we saw clear freshwater running, and it is an indication that there is water somewhere in those rocks that we just passed,” the local government minister said.

“Now this is an area that don’t have potable water in the way that they ought to, and this would give us an ideal ground for the construction of a water shop if we could find the source of water,” he added.

He also noted that the flowing water needs to be addressed before any road repairs can be done.

“You can’t fix that road without first addressing the issue of the water that is running on the roadway,” said McKenzie.

He was on a tour of roads in the area with minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister Homer Davis, councillor for the Maroon Town Division Everest Coke, and other members of his ministry in tow.

Residents in the southern part of St James have long struggled with accessing potable water and McKenzie’s promise to take action has been well received by Councillor Coke.

“Any news about water is welcomed,” he told the Jamaica Observer when asked for a reaction.

“I’m certain the residents would be happy,” he added.