550 Portland Households to Benefit from $40m Cascade Water System Upgrade
By: , August 22, 2025
Photo: Raymond Simpson
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda, deliver remarks during the commissioning ceremony for the upgraded Cascade Water Supply System in Portland on Wednesday (August 20). The ceremony was held at Cascade Primary and Infant School. The system was rehabilitated at a cost of $40 million and is expected to benefit approximately 550 households in the communities of Cascade and Section in Portland.
Photo: Raymond Simpson
Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, delivers remarks during the commissioning ceremony for the upgraded Cascade Water Supply System in Portland on Wednesday (August 20). The ceremony was held at Cascade Primary and Infant School. The system was rehabilitated at a cost of $40 million and is expected to benefit approximately 550 households in the communities of Cascade and Section in Portland.
Photo: Raymond Simpson
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda (right), looks on as Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, refreshes himself with water from a hydrant. The occasion was the commissioning ceremony for the upgraded Cascade Water Supply System in Portland on Wednesday (August 20). The ceremony was held at Cascade Primary and Infant School. Rehabilitated at a cost of $40 million by Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), the system is expected to benefit approximately 550 households in the communities of Cascade and Section in Portland.
Photo: Raymond Simpson
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda (right), is joined by Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz (second right), during the commissioning ceremony for the upgraded Cascade Water Supply System in Portland on Wednesday (August 20). The ceremony was held at Cascade Primary and Infant School. They are joined by Deputy Mayor of Port Antonio, Councillor Rohan Vassell (left), and Board Member, Rural Water Supply Limited, and Managing Director, Water Resources Authority, Peter Clarke. The Cascade Water Supply System was rehabilitated at a cost of $40 million and is expected to benefit approximately 550 households in the communities of Cascade and Section in Portland.The Full Story
Approximately 550 households are set to benefit from the newly rehabilitated Cascade Water Supply System in Portland.
The facility, which was commissioned into service during a ceremony on Wednesday (August 20), was rehabilitated at a cost of $40 million by Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL).
The upgraded system is expected to significantly enhance water supply to residents in the communities of Cascade and Section in Portland.
Among the participants in the commissioning ceremony were Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda, and Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz.
Speaking during the ceremony held at Cascade Primary and Infant School, Minister Samuda emphasised that as Jamaica intensifies its climate resilience strategies, communities like Cascade must be prioritised.
“We are blessed with heavy rainfall in Jamaica but sometimes very intermittent because of climate change. It means your systems to store, extract, process and distribute water have to outpace the ravages of climate change,” he said.
Mr. Samuda reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensuring reliable water access for all communities, in keeping with the country’s Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Six, which advocates universal access to clean water and sanitation.
“That is why we are investing $22 billion currently to make our water systems more resilient, to extend our water systems to those who are left out and to ensure we can manage the ravages of climate change as best as possible,” Mr. Samuda declared.
In her remarks, RWSL Board Member, Natalie Irwin-Carby, highlighted that rehabilitation of the Cascade Water Supply System involved the construction of 10,000-gallon reinforced concrete water tanks, the installation of 50-millimetre pipes to replace the aged and deteriorating pipeline, and the installation of a tablet feed chlorination system.
“It will provide access to safe drinking water, reducing the burden of water-borne diseases and freeing up valuable time for education, work, and other productive activities. I am confident that this project will not only enhance the quality of life for the residents but also contribute to the overall development and prosperity of the community,” Mrs. Irwin-Carby said.
She urged the Portland Municipal Corporation, the owner and operator of the Cascade Water Supply System, to commit to the sustainable management and maintenance of the infrastructure, “to ensure that this valuable resource continues to serve the community for generations to come”.
Meanwhile, Minister Vaz, who welcomed the upgraded facility, noted that the community of Cascade has had a long-standing issue with access to water.
Consequently, he expressed gratitude to Rural Water Supply Limited for its comprehensive assessment of the supply challenges and the implementation of a targeted solution that is expected to permanently resolve the issue.