TRELAWNY, Jamaica – Following a meeting between the Trelawny Municipal Corporation (TMC) and stakeholders on Wednesday, contractors are now being identified to work with the National Water Commission (NWC) to begin distribution of water in the drought stricken areas of the parish.

This forms part of a $5 million drought mitigation programme announced for residents of the nine municipal divisions in Trelawny.

Mayor of Falmouth and chairman of the TMC, Councillor C Junior Gager urged residents to exercise patience as the TMC and stakeholders work to address the water woes.

“We might have to do some house-to-house supplies. But we will decide how many drums we can give to a person in the first day because this will be going on for a while,” he said.

Mayor Gager added that roadside tanks will be sanitised and filled with treated water.

“We will be making sure that all the tanks that is placed on the roadside that is operated by the local authority be sanitised, clean and ready for water. We will be filling all of those tanks so that the people in the various communities can have access to the water. We understand the situation right now. It isn’t an easy situation to be operating without water. But again, I must say thanks again for our minister who has helped us out with some money,” Gager said.

He also thanked the NWC and other stakeholders for partnering with the municipal corporation in the drought mitigation programme.

“Let me also say, thanks to the National Water Commission for partnering with us at this time, they are out in the field and they are now supplying to the areas that is serviced by them. They are also helping us out too in areas that isn’t serviced by the water commission.”

– Horace Hines