Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to the recent Jamaica Observer article ‘Running dry’, published August 9, 2026, on the National Water Commission’s (NWC) impending prohibition orders which restrict non-essential water usage, including commercial vehicle washing, as drought conditions worsen across Jamaica.

Predictably, whenever these restrictions take effect, car wash operators raise concerns over lost revenue. While the economic contribution of local enterprise is important, using treated municipal water to wash private vehicles pales in comparison to securing uninterrupted supply for hospitals, schools, and household consumption.

We must confront a stark reality: Global warming and climate change are no longer distant threats or temporary anomalies for small island developing states (SIDS) like Jamaica. The Meteorological Service of Jamaica consistently tracks prolonged dry spells and below-normal seasonal rainfall. With over 260 of the NWC’s 450 water supply systems relying on vulnerable surface water sources, such as rivers and streams, our primary storage facilities suffer rapid depletion during dry months.

In an era of accelerating climate disruption, relying entirely on municipal potable water for non-essential commercial operations reflects a short-sighted approach to green management and business risk planning. Furthermore, relying solely on government infrastructure to solve systemic water deficits is unfeasible when public resources are stretched thin. It is the responsibility of business owners to adapt to environmental realities, put systems in place to serve their customers, and comply with sustainable resource management.

It is time for the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change; municipal corporations; and environmental regulators to institute strict environmental standards mandating all commercial car wash facilities across Jamaica to implement:

• rainwater harvesting infrastructure by installing catchment surfaces and storage tanks to capture island rainfall during wet periods to buffer operations during NWC prohibition orders.

•closed-loop water recycling systems, which involves treating, filtering, and recirculating processed water to drastically reduce fresh potable water consumption per vehicle.

•alternative sustainable sourcing by integrating high-efficiency low-flow equipment, atmospheric water generation or approved non-potable groundwater extraction.

Adopting green management is an essential investment in business resilience. Car wash operators who proactively invest in sustainable water infrastructure safeguard their operations against drought-induced shutdowns while contributing directly to national water security.

We call on Jamaican authorities and business leaders to act immediately. Making sustainable water usage mandatory is vital to ensuring our collective climate resilience.

Michael M Myles

Lecturer

michael.myles@utech.edu.jm