HISTORY was made in Clarendon South Eastern last week as Member of Parliament, Pearnel Charles Jr, commissioned the first-ever piped water system in Salt River.

Charles Jr opened the line to the standpipe along the Salt River main, which will serve hundreds of households in and around the area. This is the first of any piped water system in the community since 1959.

According to the MP, Salt River residents will now see improved access to potable water, improved efficiency, and a reduced need for trucking as the two wayside tanks have been connected to the main pipeline so residents will have automatic refill.

He said the standpipe is only a temporary measure until a long-term solution is implemented.

“Now that we have a short-term measure, I am focused on implementing a permanent and sustainable solution as soon as possible — and we will work with Rural Water Supply and the National Water Commission to get this work moving. This is part of our comprehensive water improvement programme for South East Clarendon,” said Charles Jr.

Additional wayside tanks will also be installed along the roadway from Salt River through to Tarentum to increase storage capacity, he said.

“This is only the beginning for us. Others came and made promises over the years, but did not deliver. Mr Charles came here in three months and said he will, and so he did. We are grateful,” stated one resident who said this new system will now ease the burden of the water challenges the community had been facing.

Another resident noted: “In my past 53 years living in Salt River, it’s my first time seeing water running through a pipe. During past Administrations we would get trucked water but since MP Charles has taken office, we got trucked water more frequently and we now have a standpipe for the community. I thank this Member of Parliament.”

Charles added: “The Salt River water project is part of a wider and more comprehensive water improvement programme for the entire South East Clarendon. We are completing new water systems in Portland Cottage and Rocky Point, and have completed a new water system in Rasta Corner.

“We have increased trucking across the constituency, distributed tanks to residents in need, commenced installing wayside tanks in Halse Hall with others to be placed in Moores, Tarentum, and White Marl. We have fixed leaks, improved efficiency, and commenced community assessments with the NWC in Cockpit and other areas to determine the best solution to get consistent delivery of water to homes.”