KINGSTON, Jamaica — National Water Commission (NWC) customers supplied by the Mona Dam will begin to experience water restrictions, effective August 3.

Among the areas that will be impacted are Liguanea, Mountain View, sections of New Kingston, Cross Roads and Vineyard Town.

The announcement was made by NWC Acting Corporate Public Relations Manager, Delano Williams, during Thursday’s media conference on measures to address the current drought conditions at the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change in Kingston.

“You can expect to see a general supply time of between 6:00am each day and 6:00pm,” he said.

Williams advised that the Mona Dam is currently at 62 per cent of capacity.

“To give you some context of what has been happening over the last three years, in 2025, Mona was at, this very day, at 39.3 per cent and the year before; in terms of 2024, it was reflecting 81.8 per cent. That’s on account of, perhaps, the May-June rains, which came true to form at that time, but for this year, we’ve not necessarily seen that,” he shared.

Williams noted that Hermitage Dam is at 47.4 per cent of capacity today, compared with 45 and 98 per cent in 2025 and 2024, respectively.

“We have started regulations, which means restricted water supply or what you call scheduled water supply on the Constant Spring network since July 3,” he said.

Williams shared that NWC has implemented immediate drought management measures as 73 of its systems have been affected. The agency has engaged in water supply transfer across its distribution networks.

“Once we are beginning to see a decline with one system, we then move as best as possible to augment those supplies with whichever system can allow us a little buffer. It’s not a lot, because the reality is that all the systems are showing decline but just enough to help us so we do not have inequity of water supply where one area has 24/7 and then another area is clamouring once in seven days for water supply,” he said.

Additionally, Williams informed that the NWC has begun purchasing water from private suppliers to augment NWC sources and assist with serving Portmore, St Catherine.

Williams advised that 18 NWC trucks and 52 private trucks are available for water distribution.

—   JIS