ST JAMES, Jamaica —Medical officer of health for Westmoreland Dr Marcia Graham, is urging residents to treat all non-bottled water as the parish continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa.

Speaking at the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation’s recent monthly meeting, Dr Graham said compromised infrastructure and inconsistent water quality have heightened the risk of waterborne illnesses.

“The quality of the water is not what it needs to be, but we need the water… treat all water sources… treat all water as unsafe, unless it’s bottled water that has not been tampered with,” Dr Graham advised.

Outlining approved treatment methods, she explained that boiling remains one of the most effective options.

“Once it starts boiling, what we call a rolling boil, let it boil for a minute… and then it’s safe to be used for human consumption,” she informed.

Dr Graham also pointed to the use of bleach and chlorine tablets, noting that correct dosage and waiting time are essential.

“Once you use chlorine, whether it’s a tablet, or bleach to sanitise your water, it needs to stand for half an hour, so it can have the desired action to make the water safe,” she said

Beyond water safety, the medical officer of health warned of increased exposure to leptospirosis, particularly due to displaced animals and contaminated waterways.

Dr Graham cautioned that even minor injuries could lead to severe illness if exposed to contaminated water.

“You jump into the river, you jump into the stream… the next thing you know, you are sick… your kidney is shutting down, your liver is failing. We don’t want that,” she said, noting that the parish has already recorded fatalities linked to post-storm illnesses.

-JIS