MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness says once there is adequate investment in the country water supply it is possible for the entire country to have access to water in their taps within the next five years.

“By 2023 every community in Jamaica should have access to potable water, it is not an impossibility. What it requires is investment,” he said on Tuesday night at an election campaign spot meeting in Devon, Manchester North Eastern.

Holness told JLP supporters that similar to the Government’s Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) programme, there is a plan to announce “a massive” investment for water supply.

“If you look at the plans of the [National Work Commission]. They already have plans as to how they will bring water to many communities, but they don’t have the money to do it,” he said.

“This Administration is the only Administration that has essentially solved the capital expenditure problem to bring the projects to life to solve your water problem,” added Holness.

He then pointed to the $4.5-billion Greater Mandeville Water Supply project as evidence of the investment being made in expanding access to the precious commodity.

“What I am saying here is not a promise. Remember now, the plan that was talked about many years ago about bringing water from St Elizabeth up through Spur Tree and into Mandeville… it is this Administration that has made the capital allocation to have that massive project being done now,” declared Holness.

“As we transition into the manifesto stage of the campaign where we start now to deal with not just what we have accomplished, but what we intend to do for you, one of the things that I have seen as I move around the country is the cry for water,” said Holness.

“Water is critical for agriculture, it is critical for health and it is critical for convenience, so we have a plan that is going to address both roads and water,” he added.

Holness said dialogue is ongoing to get access to wells owned by bauxite/alumina companies to get water to “communities like here [Devon], New Green and Mile Gully and other areas that, for decades you have no water. Now there is the issue of the geography of the parish. Manchester doesn’t have many water sources, but for this area you do have some water sources.”

He said the JLP standard bearer for Manchester North Eastern, Ambassador Audrey Marks has been very resourceful and has made some connections with the bauxite company in the area to have certain wells become available.

”This area has potential for water. What needs to happen is an allocation of resources to expand Moravia and to tap into some of the other wells,” added Holness.