Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on Wednesday (October 23), officially commissioned the $630-million Essex Valley Water Supply Project in Junction, St. Elizabeth, to reduce water-related challenges in the parish. More than 20,000 residents in 3,300 households now have the benefit of receiving potable piped water that will be supplied by the National Water Commission (NWC). Among the areas...

Fifty farmers from Cascade in St. Ann are benefiting from improved access to irrigation, through a $29-million community-based agricultural pilot project. The three-year-old initiative was implemented by the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, through the local office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and was financed by the Government of Japan as part of the Japan Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (JCCCP)....

The St. Catherine-based Enid Bennett High School is expecting savings of up to 50 per cent on its annual water bill from the establishment of a $7-million rainwater harvesting system. Installed by the Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), the system comprises four 1,000-gallon black tanks, a 20,000-gallon block and steel tank, a solar-powered pump, and other features to harvest and...

Residents of Top Hill and Retirement District in Malvern in St. Elizabeth, now have access to free potable water following the opening of two water shops in the areas. Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, officially opened the two facilities on Thursday, (October 3). St. Elizabeth is the latest parish to benefit under the Government’s initiative to...

Students of the Iris Gelly Primary School in Kingston now have access to more water, through the National Education Trust (NET), in partnership with the Japanese Government’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project. Under the project, a rainwater harvesting system has been installed at the school, providing a sustainable supply of water for the students and staff at the...

The Government is making significant investments to achieve a sustainable water sector, says Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. The Minister, who was commissioning a $9-million rainwater harvesting system at the Rock Hall Primary School in West Rural St. Andrew on October 1, said the budget for the...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the National Water Commission (NWC) will be relaxing water restrictions, following the increase in capacity at the Mona Reservoir and Hermitage Dam in St. Andrew. The recent period of heavy rainfall has raised water levels at Mona and Hermitage to 54 per cent and 72 per cent, respectively. Mr. Holness said the...