The Bahamas to Replicate Jamaica’s Non- Revenue Water Reduction Programme
By: , August 30, 2022
Photo: Contributed
The delegation from The Bahamas and representatives from National Water Commission (NWC) and MIYA Jamaica during the one-day site visit in Portmore.
Photo: Contributed
National Water Commission and Miya Jamaica co-management team member, Jason Russell, uses a ground microphone to detect leaks.The Full Story
The positive results of the non-revenue water (NRW) reduction programme in Portmore, St. Catherine, have inspired the Government of The Bahamas to roll out a similar initiative.
Portmore is saving up to 1.5 million gallons of water per day under this project, which was implemented by the National Water Commission (NWC), in partnership with global water utility company, Miya Jamaica.
Recently, a Bahamian delegation from the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) examined Jamaica’s co-management arrangement, focusing on leak detection and repairs, and meter installation in some communities in Portmore, during a one-day site visit.
General Manager of the WSC, Robert Deal, said he is “generally very pleased with the level of cooperation and success that NWC and Miya have experienced in Kingston and St. Andrew and are currently seeing in Portmore”.
He is convinced that his country can improve its water systems under a similar NRW reduction project.
“We [Bahamas] have had a 10-year non-revenue programme with Miya in the past, but now we are hoping to learn some of the lessons for co-management,” he added.
A critical priority of the NWC, the Portmore NRW project began in March 2021 and is modelled after the award-winning Kingston and St. Andrew (KSA) NRW programme.
It aims to strengthen service delivery to NWC customers within the area and enhance the operational efficiency of the national utility company. The venture also looks at improving water distribution at acceptable pressures to meet the standards of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) and customer satisfaction, plus the promotion of energy and water conservation practices.
Speaking on the co-management partnership, Project Manager of Miya Jamaica, Katherine Paleracio, said one of the aims of the partnership between the NWC and Miya is to transfer knowledge.
She pointed out that non-revenue water in Portmore mostly results from leaks, excessive water pressure at nights in some areas, overflowing of tanks, among others.
Some of the locations currently benefiting from the Portmore NRW programme are Walkers Hill, Independence City, Cumberland, and Edge Water.
Naggo Head, Christian Gardens, Port Henderson Road and Dyke Road are expected to be added to the programme in the future.