9,000 Residents in Westmoreland Get Improved Water Supply

Approximately 9,000 residents in 12 communities across Westmoreland now have access to improved water supply, following the commissioning of the $475 million Nonpareil/Retirement/Orange Hill Water System on Thursday (August 25).

Among the beneficiary areas are White Hall, Mount Airy, Hog Haven, Orange Hill, Sections of West End, Good Hope, Retirement, Little Bay, Revival, Brighton, Negril, and Cherry Hill.

The project was executed by the National Water Commission (NWC) in collaboration with Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL).

The system, which is outfitted with two pumping stations, two storage reservoirs, and transmission and distribution pipelines, has the capacity to supply 500,000 gallons of water daily.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony at the White Hall pumping station in Negril, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, said the Government is looking to ensure that all Jamaicans have access to potable piped water.

He pointed out that the Administration is “working around the clock”, by investing and seeking to identify financing for the National Water Commission (NWC), “to ensure that we get to [that] stage.”

The Minister noted that as Jamaica grapples with the effects of climate change, the Government is putting the necessary water infrastructure in place to position the country to adapt to shifting climatic conditions.”

“Climate change is more than just a buzzword for a country like Jamaica. It’s real. Our climate has changed, our weather patterns have changed. One of the buzzwords that’s attached to climate change is adaptation,” Mr. Samuda emphasised.

Senator Samuda said activities, like the newly developed water system, were adaptation projects “that help you to prepare for the erratic rainfall that we know will come.”

Consequently, he encouraged the project beneficiaries to pay their water bills, noting that the revenue derived is needed for investments in improved service delivery.

“Paying your bills on time means we continue to give you water. The reality is, the cost of providing water is significantly more in many cases than what we receive in fees. So, persons have to pay their water bills if we’re to be reliable,” Mr. Samuda underscored.

For his part, Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Western, Morland Wilson, described the new system as a “significant milestone”, adding that he is pleased that hundreds of residents now have access to a more reliable supply of potable water.