The National Water Commission (NWC) is re-activating the Montgomery Well, off Marescaux Road in Kingston, which will provide an additional one to two million gallons of potable water daily, to sections of the Corporate Area.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Matthew Samuda, visited the site on Thursday, where work is ongoing to activate the well.

He was joined by Member of Parliament for South Eastern St Andrew Julian Robinson, and Councillor for the Trafalgar Division, Kari Douglas, as well as senior members of staff of the NWC and the ministry.

Samuda noted that the work to put the well back into operation is a major initiative in the NWC’s drought mitigation efforts.

“In February this year, KSA received 8 percent of its 30-year average of rainfall. It means the NWC has had to be creative. It has had to work around the clock and had to look at resources that were resting. Earlier in the year, we would have also brought on-stream the Long Mountain Well to provide close to another million gallons into the system, to reduce the pressure on the Mona System”, he stated.

Minister Samuda noted that the Montgomery Well would benefit the Cross Roads area extending into downtown Kingston and its environs.

Meanwhile, Acting Corporate Public Relations Manager at the NWC, Delano Wiliams, noted that work on the well, in which the NWC is investing some J$25 million, started months ago, and is now at an advanced stage.

“Water is being pumped from the well to get out any debris, so it is clean and clear and then we move towards what we call a step test, to measure the volume of water that comes out”, he noted.

The Well will be in service by December, and should effectively reduce the impact of the traditional dry period in January and February, as well as the drying effects of the ‘El Nino’ phenomenon, which scientists predict will last for another four to five years.