Corporate Area Water Storage Levels at 99 Per Cent

The National Water Commission (NWC) is reporting that its two major storage facilities in the Corporate Area are at 99 per cent of their capacity.

President of the NWC, Mark Barnett says the water company is enjoying good flows into the storage systems, especially at the Hermitage Dam, and the Mona Reservoir.

He noted that it is unusual for the agency, especially over the last five years, to have this level of storage at this time, but explained that the increased levels were due to “reasonable amount of rainfall, plus our level of management of the storage.”

Mr. Barnett who spoke with JIS News on April 19 following the signing of a contract valued at over $1 billion for Phase 2 of the Port Antonio Sewerage and Drainage project, at the Office of the Prime Minister, said while the systems are doing “pretty good,” it is necessary for conservation efforts to remain.

“I always want to encourage our customers to conserve. Don’t take it for granted that it (water) is always going to be there, we know what we have experienced in the last couple of years, and we really don’t want to go back there,” he stated.

The NWC head said the agency will continue to do its part, through some of the programmes that have been undertaken, to ensure that the commodity is not wasted.

“If we don’t, we might reach a stage where recycle and reuse becomes the order of the day,” Mr. Barnett underscored.