PORTLAND, Jamaica — Upwards of 6,000 residents in Portland, who frequently experience intermittent or no water supply, will soon see this issue addressed through the construction of the Crystal Spring and Orange Bay Water Supply System.

The system will be developed in two phases at a total cost of $658 million, directly benefiting communities spanning Orange Bay to Black Hill and onward to Caenwood in Portland.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for water, Matthew Samuda, provided details of the project during a community meeting at Orange Bay Church of God of Prophecy in Portland on Wednesday.

“The first phase will involve the construction of the intake and installation of pumping equipment at the water source. The transmission pipeline will be installed from Orange Bay at the proposed pumping station adjacent to the Spring Gardens Agro-Park to the foot of Black Hill. Construction of the 150,000-gallon bolted steel tank will also take place in that area,” Samuda detailed.

He disclosed that phase one will be undertaken at a cost of $157 million and is expected to take up to 14 months to complete.

Phase two will, thereafter commence, expanding the system’s reach and further strengthening water access across Portland.

The minister informed that the second phase will include the construction of relift stations, installation of new pipelines and erection of an additional bolted steel tank with a storage capacity of 100,000 gallons, at a projected cost of $300 million.

“This project has been broken into two phases… to make sure that, even while construction is going on, those who are closest to the source start to get benefit as we build out,” Samuda noted.

He emphasised that the system’s construction is essential due to rapid development across the targeted communities, which has outpaced the capacity of existing water infrastructure.

Additionally, sources previously used to supply these communities often run low or dry up during periods of drought and reduced rainfall.

Consequently, a new and more reliable water source had to be identified and established prior to the project’s commencement.

“The closest, most reliable [water] source for a system is the Crystal Springs system. The Water Resources Authority (WRA) spent one year testing the flows, ensuring that, during the worst of the drought, you had sufficient water to support a $658-million system,” the minister stated.

He added that the water system represents a significant investment in Portland, one that will enable further development and improve the quality of life for residents across the parish.

To underscore the urgency of the project, Samuda disclosed that a $65 million deposit is expected to be made in October, enabling construction to begin before the end of the year.

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Daryl Vaz, who was also in attendance at the community meeting, highlighted additional improvements that residents can expect as the project progresses.

He noted that new pipelines will be installed in areas where none previously existed, while ageing and deteriorated pipes will be replaced.

The project will be executed by Rural Water Supply Limited.

— JIS