KINGSTON, Jamaica – Kingston and St Andrew is now more water-resilient than ever before, says Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda.

Addressing a pipeline commissioning ceremony in Port Royal on Tuesday, Minister Samuda said ongoing water infrastructure projects in the Corporate Area and surrounding communities have brought reliable access to portable water to more residents.

He noted that the current demand for water in Kingston and St Andrew stands at 37 million gallons per day, bolstered by recent significant reductions in non-revenue water loss.

“We have saved 17 million gallons because of the work and investment of this Government in the water network,” he said.

A national programme aimed at reducing non-revenue water loss across Jamaica is set to commence soon, which will involve major upgrades to distribution networks.

Minister Samuda also announced the commencement of the second phase of construction for a new water-treatment facility that will provide an additional 15 million gallons daily to the Corporate Area as well as Portmore.

This project will benefit approximately 150,000 National Water Commission (NWC) customers and is part of a broader strategy to improve water resilience during the dry season.

“In the worst of our drought, we were short 12 million gallons in the Corporate Area extending into Portmore. That water-treatment plant will supply 15 million gallons daily in and out of drought,” he informed.

“Starting next month, we will begin work on the second phase of bringing to life those lines along Washington Boulevard,” Minister said.

Minister Samuda also addressed long-standing issues faced by communities with aging infrastructure, stating that a $5-billion allocation has been made for upgrading pipes along roads scheduled for repaving.

“We’re ensuring that before those roads are paved, we re-lay the pipes to make sure that the age-old comment of ‘road pave and NWC dig it up’ is a thing of the past,” he noted.

Minister Samuda reaffirmed the Government’s dedication to ensuring that every citizen has access to reliable water supply.

“We are nearing this space where we can see that within two to three years it is achievable with the investments that we are making,” he stated.

– JIS