$795.3-Million Allocated for Rural Water Projects

The Rural Water Supply Limited will be undertaking several projects in the new fiscal year under a $795.3-million infrastructure rehabilitation initiative.

The funds, provided in the 2019/20 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, will be used to upgrade water supplies in several parishes.

Works include rehabilitation of catchment tanks in Trelawny, St. Ann and Manchester; as well as installation of guttering, storage facilities, and solar pumps at the May Pen Infirmary and schools in the parish; and at schools in Clarendon, St. Catherine and St. Elizabeth.

The project, which started in February 2017, aims to upgrade supply systems and rehabilitate 280 catchment tanks islandwide, and install rainwater harvesting systems in schools and public institutions.

Achievements up to December 2018 include the completion of supply systems at Top Leinster, Maroon Town, Alden Spring, Comfort Valley, Rock River and Gibbs Hill in St. Mary; Spring Garden and Burnt Ground in St. James; Spice Grove loading bay, Manchester municipality, Knockpatrick pipeline, Peart Spring and Ticki Ticki in Manchester; Hermitage, McNie and Douglas Castle in St. Ann; Portland Cottage in Clarendon; and Top Reading in St. Elizabeth.

Catchment tanks have also been rehabilitated at the St. Ann’s Bay Hospital; and the St. Mary Infirmary, and primary schools in the parish.

The project, under the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, is slated to end in February 2022.