The Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant project is on track, and is slated for completion by May of 2027, says Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda.

The Minister who, along with officials from the Ministry, the National Water Commission (NWC), and political representatives, toured the construction site in St. Catherine on January 29, said the system, which will deliver 15 million gallons per day, will be a major boost to supply citizens across the parish and the Corporate Area.

Stressing that everything is being done to build resilience and reliability in the water distribution networks for over 1.3 million people, the Minister said the general area to be served by the system is home to many commercial enterprises that need the commodity.

“We are working assiduously to stick to the time; we are ensuring that we engage members of the community, and persons who live in proximity cannot be left out from the supply. You have my commitment that at the completion of this project, citizens will also see benefits from the investment that has been made in the area,” he said.

Describing the water facility as a “major nation building project,” the Minister said it is one of five projects that are midway, that will transform the water sector, and he is happy with the progress.

He noted that the system will treat raw water from the Rio Cobre River, pump it into the newly replaced pipeline that will take the treated water towards Kingston and St. Andrew, Portmore and Spanish Town.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North Central, Natalie Neita-Garvey, said the project is quite significant.

“I am very pleased with the progress which Vinci (contractor) is making and the relationship they have developed with the community as well. The project is fairly smooth, and at the end of all of this, we will be proud to have had this project as part of the Government of Jamaica and for the people of Jamaica,” Mrs. Neita-Garvey said.

Water levels in sections of Content, Williamsfield, Manchester continue to rise following heavy rainfall before and during the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Deputy Managing Director at the Water Resources Authority (WRA), Geoffrey Marshall, said the latest gauge readings indicate the highest water level recorded since monitoring began on Monday.

“We are observing the gauges that we installed, the water level has risen…Right now it’s the highest we have seen since we started monitoring. The gauge we installed on Monday, the readings we have gotten from it…indicates a measure of about 13.13 feet, which reflects a total rise of seven to eight feet since installation,” Mr. Marshall explained.

The rise in water levels occurred after prolonged heavy rainfall associated with Hurricane Melissa, which saturated the soil and caused water from the aquifer to surface, forcing residents to relocate from the area.

Mr. Marshall advised that there is little that can be done to reduce the current water levels, as the process is naturally occurring and depends on the aquifer draining over time.

“We can’t pump it out or anything…Some persons have tried digging a drain to level it off…and it filled up almost immediately…The water is just finding its level. We’ll have to wait until the water level begins to recede…we think it will take a couple weeks maybe months before it moves down,” he told JIS News.

As a result, the affected roadway remains impassable and will stay closed until conditions improve.

He also told JIS News that most residents have noted that it was the highest they have seen the water rise since 2002.

Resident, Horace McFarlane, who has been living in Content for decades and is now forced to relocate, said the flooding began on Wednesday morning after the passage of the hurricane.

“Wednesday morning, I saw the water in the backyard…People in the area said there’s an underground river…but before that [the flooding] …people said they heard some rumbling under the earth and they hear it again now,” he recounted.

Mr. McFarlane said the water has soaked the soil and flooded several homes, adding that local authorities, including the police, have since visited the area to block the road and assess the situation.

The WRA continues to monitor the site and has advised residents to exercise caution and avoid flooded areas until the water levels begin to decline or even return to normal.