Hermitage upgrade still on track, says Samuda
MINISTER of Water, Environment, and Climate Change Matthew Samuda has reiterated the Government’s plan to redesign the Hermitage Dam in Stony Hill, St Andrew, with engineering work already under way.
Providing an update on the plan which he announced during his contribution to the 2026-27 Sectoral Debate in April, Samuda told a Jamaica Press Club on Friday that construction is projected to begin within the next 18 to 24 months.
Samuda pointed out that the upgrades will include expanding the dam’s storage capacity, and that this could mean moving out the current wall of the dam further into the valley.
“Now I don’t want to get into the realm of engineering, as I have no ability to do so, but whether they decide to take down the old wall or to allow water sharing between the two structures is to be determined,” said Samuda.
He noted that during the upgrade the dam would not be closed and will continue to provide potable water to residents of the Corporate Area.
According to Samuda, the upgrade of the more-than-90-year-old dam is long overdue and should have happened some 40 years ago, since the dam came with a 50-year engineering warranty.
“I shouldn’t have been the one to have to deal with it… But we are designing the new Hermitage, and we already have the engineering contract for assessments and designs,” added Samuda.
The upgrading of the Hermitage Dam is estimated to cost approximately US$250 million. The work will be spearheaded by the National Water Commission (NWC), which is prioritising investments aimed at improving water storage capacity and system resilience.
The Hermitage Dam is one of the Corporate Area’s major reservoirs, serving more than 40 per cent of the Kingston and St Andrew population.
Since the dam began operation in 1927 it has not undergone any significant upgrades.
“It has served us well, but time and population growth have outpaced it. Our population has expanded, our weather patterns have shifted, and what was adequate then is simply not adequate now,” Samuda said during his contribution to the sectoral debate.
