KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, yesterday, officially commissioned a $7 million rainwater harvesting system at the Enid Bennett High School in Bog Walk, St Catherine.

According to the ministry, the rainwater harvesting project saw the installation of four 1000 gallon black tanks, solar-powered pump, construction of a 20,000 gallon block-and-steel water tank; installation of over 700 feet of PVC pipes and 650 feet of gutters to support the system.

The ministry said the project began at the school in December 2018.

Principal at Enid Bennett High School, Patrick Phillips, said that the School Board, administration, teachers, students and other stakeholders gladly welcomed the rainwater harvesting infrastructure.

“Having this system in place will address some of the issues that we were having with water conservation and will prove beneficial to our farm, bathroom facilities and our playing field,” Phillips said.

Meanwhile, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Pearnel Charles Jr in his address at the commissioning ceremony said the installation of the rainwater harvesting infrastructure would go a long way in making Enid Bennett water secure.

Noting that there needs to be a change in attitude towards water, the minister said: “There needs to be a complete 180 in how we use the resource if these structures are going to bring maximum impact”.

“No longer can we merely live in the present, we must also contemplate the future. We must change our overall mindset if we are to build our resilience and ensure that the world our children are to inherit will be one without the problems we face today,” Charles Jr added.

The RWSL commenced its rainwater harvesting programme in 2011 with works on the Maldon and Chatsworth schools in St James and the Police Convalescent Centre in St Elizabeth.