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A rainwater harvesting system, constructed at a cost of $3.6 million, was commissioned into service at the Aabuthnott Gallimore High School, in Alexandria, St. Ann,  on March 28, by Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill. Funding for the facility, designed to assist the school community to overcome the severe water shortage, was provided by the...

Just over 1,700 residents of Thornton and adjoining communities in eastern St. Thomas are now benefitting from improved water supply, following the commissioning of the $36 million Thornton water supply system, on March 27. The project, undertaken over nine months, was jointly funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), which provided just over $34 million through its Basic Needs Trust...

The Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change is aiming for Jamaica to have universal access to  potable water by 2030 and is advocating rainwater harvesting as a means of achieving this goal. With more than 280 water catchment tanks of varying capacity levels located in rural districts across the island, Portfolio Minister, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, says that a...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, says the Government, through the National Water Commission (NWC), is looking to partner with the Chinese to implement a number of critical water and sewerage projects worth billions of dollars. The Minister said talks are already underway in this regard and he is hoping that a deal can be...

Work on the $1.83 billion Port Antonio Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Project, is slated to get underway in July. Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Minister, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, yesterday (May 2) broke ground for the development, which will involve major rehabilitation and construction of water distribution, sewerage, and drainage systems serving the Portland capital and its environs. The...

The Westmoreland Parish Council has been trucking water to many areas that have been affected by the severe drought, Disaster Preparedness Co-ordinator for the parish, Rev. Hilma Tate, told JIS News. “The Council has been ensuring that communities hardest hit by the drought are getting some water as often as is possible, and right now requests for additional funds have...

A total of $3 billion has been allocated to the National Water Commission (NWC) to undertake a major programme to replace or rehabilitate several of the 445 water storage tanks across the island to bring them to full functionality. Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate, Hon. Robert Pickergsill, who made the announcement during the sitting of the House of...

Cabinet has approved $30 million for the trucking of water to drought-affected areas of the country. Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, made the announcement during Tuesday’s (Jan. 22) sitting of the House of Representatives, where he addressed measures to alleviate drought conditions currently affecting the island. He said the Ministry will be partnering with...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is urging Jamaicans to take measures to ensure the safety of water for domestic use during the dry period. “We are aware that during the dry season, where there is shortage of water, persons are sometimes forced to source water from undesirable sources such as untreated water wells, rivers, ponds and...

The Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), of the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, has undertaken 20 water catchment projects in the parish of St. Elizabeth, since January 2012. This was done at a cost of $15 million, funded primarily by the Ministry. General Manager of Engineering at RWSL, Douglas Wilson, told JIS News that the projects are...

Since the Government came into office on January 5, the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change has been focusing on improving water and sewerage systems; and highlighting the impact of climate change, and the need to protect the environment. Ground was broken on February 23, for the construction of the Darling Street Wastewater Pumping Station, which will improve...

Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) has embarked on a comprehensive upgrading programme, to provide rural areas with a reliable water supply. The company, which falls under the Ministry of Housing, Environment, Water and Local Government, is involved in several projects, including the Comfort Hall, Copperwood and Richmond Hill project in St. James, which will benefit 2,700 residents and is funded...