NEGRIL, Westmoreland — The National Water Commission (NWC) has reassured Negril residents that short-term plans are currently being worked on to monitor the inflow of water into the resort town, after seening little or no water in some areas for the past few months.

Apart from regulating the potable supply, there are plans to bring in the police and other agencies to determine if, as suspected, private water trucks are illegally tampering with the commission’s main water distribution network.

“Since [last week] Tuesday we have a regulating team monitoring the valve regulation to ensure that the valves are open in time and the valves are in the right position, increase trucking to customers upon request, and yes, we are considering bringing the police and the fire brigade on board in terms of how we man the hydrants that are being manipulated,” revealed NWC Acting Regional Manager Caudel Daley. He has oversight for the parishes of Hanover and Westmoreland.

The NWC executive was addressing a community meeting held at Negril Escape, which is located on West End Road. The meeting, which was attended by several NWC senior personnel, was called to address the chronic water shortage in the area.

“We introduced innovative mechanisms to secure lock-offs, hydrants, and valves,” explained Daley, who noted that the equipment is in storage in Kingston and will be picked up this week for installation.

He said installation will be done with the assistance of residents who are aware of where the illegal connections are taking place.

During the meeting residents expressed concern about the lack of supply, the addition of new mega hotels on the system despite limited supply, and the illegal refilling of private water trucks who then sell the commodity for exorbitant sums.

“We started having water problems in Negril since the proliferation of trucks. One time you had five trucks in Negril, now it is about 100 and it is a cancer that is spreading. And anytime you have 500 trucks in Jamaica with millions behind them, they are going to corrupt the system and make sure they are a part of the policymaking. Just like how the train system cannot come back to Jamaica because of the truckers, it is the same thing with water. If you want water, you have to buy it. We have knowledge of them stealing the water,” stated co-chair of Saturday’s meeting in Negril, Lenbert Williams.

He made it clear that he was not saying that he disliked water truck operators, but he has an issue with their current approach in Negril.

His co-chair, Dalton Hill, who is the operator of Lighthouse Inn, also weighed in on the issue.

“I am aware through my staff at night that the Xtabi is one of the main valves that is pulled at night. Up to last [Friday] night there were five trucks lined up. Now each one of those trucks is 2,500 gallons to 3,000. When you pull that valve there is no way that after they load up 100 truckloads that we are going to get water down here. Because they have bridged the system and the pressure will drop. It is very hard to build back the pressure for us to get water,” said Hill.

Regarding mega hotels that will come on stream, Richard Wallace, hotelier and immediate past president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce, provided an update on discussions he has had with the owner of Princes Hotel in Hanover. Wallace said he was advised that the owners have received a licence to dig a well and provide water for the property through reverse osmosis.

“Our sentiment is that these hotels need to be independent. But the fear that we have about them taking all the water, we can breathe a little bit better because that is not going to happen,” stated Wallace.

The NWC’s Logwood plant was constructed in 1957 and upgraded with the construction of a new plant more than two decades ago.

However, despite the plant and water source being located in Hanover Western, Westmoreland Western receives the bulk of the water. The parish of Westmoreland currently receives more than 70 per cent of the supply.

However, since 2014 the plant has seen a reduction in its intake from its two sources, the Fish River and Blue Hole, due to drought caused by climate change.

The plant has seen a reduction in yield from 6,000 gallons in November to a low of 4,000 this month.

“The challenges that we are seeing here in Negril, of course, are a result of inconsistency flows at the source. We have to adjust to the change of the flow because we might just go tomorrow and we are not seeing four million gallons per day. We might see two. So even when we put stop valve regulations in place, tomorrow morning we have to restructure it to ensure water goes where we can get,” stated Daley.

While short-term measures are being implemented, he reiterated the NWC’s long-term plans. Among them is the expansion of the Great River Treatment Plant in Hanover, which is located near the St James border, and to upgrade the trunk main to take additional water into Negril. The project is expected to start in January 2025 and will last two years.

In addition, plans are in place to upgrade the Roaring River Water Treatment Plant and to integrate the Cabarita River, Venture River, and Roaring River water sources in Westmoreland together.

The project will see the construction of a dedicated plant in the Roaring River Water Treatment Plant to supply Negril alone. While the capital cost for the project is high, Daley said the Government is giving it serious consideration due to Negril’s growth.

However, president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce Elaine Allen Bradley, who spoke in her capacity as a citizen, said this information has been heard in the past and, therefore, she wanted to be advised of a start-up date. Daley responded that while a feasibility study is in place for the project — which is with the engineering department and has been escalated to the minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for water, environment, climate change and the blue and green economies Matthew Samuda — he was unable to give a dedicated date for the project, which he pointed out may be done incrementally due to the hefty price tag.

A later meeting is to be planned and Minister Samuda has reportedly committed to be in attendance.