Water and Sewage Treatment Projects to Improve Capacity in Kingston & St. Catherine

The Government is pursuing several improvement projects in the area of water distribution and sewage treatment within Kingston and St. Catherine, which when fully implemented, should take care of the 10 million gallons per day shortage of water in the Corporate Area, and reduce pollution in the Kingston Harbour.
Making the disclosure, Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Horace Chang, says more than US$200 million, is being spent or is in the pipeline to be spent on these projects, which are at varying stages of implementation.
He made the disclosure on Monday, October 6, while addressing the 17th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA), being held at the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club in Montego Bay St. James.
The Minister said that at the moment the National Water Commission (NWC), is spending some US$55 million to improve water supply in South St. Catherine. He said that those funds were sourced through a Japanese Development Loan.
“We have a similar US$55 million loan outstanding with the Inter- American Development Bank, to improve sewage and water in downtown Kingston. In addition to that, we are currently negotiating, and should soon conclude that negotiation for some US$95 million, to bring about improved water supply to the western Corporate Area, he pointed out.
“It will include a desalination plant at Ferry in St. Catherine, additional wells, upgrading of the Constant Spring Plant in St. Andrew and extension of pipelines to several areas,” he said.
Minister Chang stated further that approximately US$50 million was spent to build the Soapberry Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is a new facility designed to treat the wastewater from the Corporate Area and sections of St. Catherine, and has the capacity for expansion in the future.
He expressed the view that more significant investments are needed in the water sector, if the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), are to be met by 2015. Dr. Chang called for continued partnerships between the Government, the private sector, and overseas lending agencies, for the promulgation of proper water investment opportunities.