MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Surgeries at the Mandeville Regional Hospital in this south-central parish have been reduced to emergencies only due to issues with piped water supply following the passage of Hurricane Beryl two weeks ago.

Chief executive officer at the hospital Alwyn Miller told the Jamaica Observer that the move follows issues with electricity supply to wells and pumping facilities in neighbouring St Elizabeth.

“Surgeries are being done [but only] emergencies only at this time. The reason is for infection control. Surgeries require a constant supply of water,” Miller said on Tuesday.

The Pepper well field, downslope at low altitude in St Elizabeth, is the main source of water for Mandeville, which is more than 2,000 feet above sea level, atop the Manchester Plateau.

“We get water partially, but not sufficiently. We got water primarily from St Elizabeth and I understand that the power supply to the wells down there have not been restored as yet, so we still have to be trucking water. The hurricane disrupted the power supply hence, water to Mandeville generally,” Miller said.

The hospital’s electricity was restored four days after the storm. However, with the Jamaica Public Service reporting that it could take up to a month to restore power across St Elizabeth, Mandeville and its environs, these areas remain without adequate water supply.

Miller said water conservation is being encouraged among staff.

“We have to manage the provision of water to the different units in order to allow it to be able to meet the demand, so we can’t go giving everybody the usual full supply. It is always more efficient to pipe water than to truck it. We are not getting all that we need, but we are managing,” he said.

“We have gotten support from NWC [National Water Commission]. They truck some of what we want and we have to pay for the difference that we are able to get,” added Miller.