Feasibility Studies and Technical Assessments Continuing for Mahogany Vale Dam Development

Feasibility studies and engineering assessments continue for the development of the Mahogany Vale Dam in St. Thomas says Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda.

This will ensure reliable water supply for thousands of Jamaicans and forms part of the Government’s plan to increase the amenity’s provision to communities.

The Mahogany Vale Dam will be part of a major integrated project aimed at solving Jamaica’s water and energy problems and making the island a truly green country.

It will utilise the well-established Pumped Hydro Storage and Hydro Electricity concepts.

The facility was first proposed in a 1967 report as a possible solution for augmenting the supply of potable water in Kingston.

The project was later abandoned in favour of the less capital-intensive but lower yielding Rio Cobre Water Supply Scheme.

In an interview with JIS News following Wednesday’s (April 10) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Senator Samuda said the project will mainly serve residents of Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Thomas.

“It would [also] benefit St. Catherine, because you would be pulling less water from St. Catherine as well,” he said.

Senator Samuda said additional reservoirs are being contemplated by the Government to increase Jamaica’s water storage capacity.

“One was announced by the Prime Minister in his Budget presentation for… Clarendon North Central. There will be a small reservoir built there, but there are others that we are contemplating, and we will give further details shortly,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said storage capacities at major reservoirs are to be increased, as well as the supply of black tanks and community tanks across the island.

“We do expect to increase storage at our major reservoirs; we do expect to build new reservoirs in different parts of the country, we do expect to continue our investment in expansion and replacement of community tanks and new tanks, where necessary, and, yes, we are also working at the household level,” Senator Samuda said.