BRAMPTON, Trelawny — Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Matthew Samuda says the trucking of potable water to National Water Commission (NWC) customers is not an exercise he takes pride in.

On the other hand, he expressed delight when piped water is available for NWC customers and noted that trucking only becomes necessary during emergency situations.

He was speaking last week during the commissioning of the Baron Hill to Samuel Prospect replacement main in Trelawny, a project which will benefit 11,500 people and cost $275 million in the first phase.

“I take no pride in seeing trucks. Now when there’s an emergency we will do what the State must do to provide water in whichever way we must but there is no pride in trucking — there’s pride in piped water,” Samuda said.

He added: “We require the revenue to make the investment. Every time you pay your bill on time it allows us to go a little further down the line and connect new neighbours and persons who deserve the water as much as you do.”

Meanwhile, resident Elise Beasely of Brampton, one of the several commuities that now benefits from the rehabilitated pipeline, expressed her delight at the consistent supply. She said the purchasing of water from trucks was very unaffordable.

“I must say, as a community member I am excited and pleased about the work that has been done on this project so far. Before this project I must say that I had to purchase water because of where I was living, as we didn’t have running water, or catch it at the stand pipe. Based on what is happening now I have not purchased any water since this has started and completed now. I must say we are happy for that,” Beasely said.

“We must say thanks to those people who are responsible for this and we look forward to many more projects like this to come.

Trelawny Northern Member of Parliament Tova Hamilton, who lobbied Government for the project, said the residents had been affected by water challenges for.a very long time.

“I cannot underscore how happy I am today. Residents of Samuel Prospect, for example, have been waiting for this for longer than I can count. It is one of those issues that I identified on my campaign trail and a commitment [was] made to the residents. I am happy that we made a commitment and we were able to fulfill that commitment,” Hamilton said.

According to Senator Samuda, phase one of the Baron Hill to Prospect replacement pipe covers about 8.1 kilometres and supplies communities such as Braco, Rio Bueno, Calabar, Brampton, Jackson Town, Samuel Prospect, Vale Royal, Hatfield, Farm Town, Arcadia, Grove, Red Valley, Bethel Town and Middlemost.

“I was informed that the high-pressure pipeline from the treatment plant to the Samuel Prospect reservoir is indeed aged and susceptible to regular leaks, resulting in a significant amount of water being lost. We have noticed that this is an issue in several parishes and have taken the necessary steps to implement the non-revenue water programme,” he said.

Bemoaning the high incidence of water theft dogging the NWC, Samuda appealed to residents to report unscrupulous people they know are illegally extracting water from the NWC.

“… We literally cannot continue to supply those who steal the commodity. It is unfair to those who pay their water bills every month,” he said

“I encourage residents to quietly and discreetly be informers and inform the police, and they will pass it on to us. This Administration cannot stress enough that water is a precious commodity and plays a vital role in everyday activities,” said Samuda.