Improved Water Supply for Residents of South St. James

More than 7,000 residents of several communities in South St. James now have access to an improved water supply, following the Rural Water Supply Limited’s (RWSL) completion of four major projects in that region at a cost of approximately $54 million.

The projects include rehabilitation of the Spring Gardens water supply system; upgrading of the Montpelier water supply system; and improvements to the rainwater-harvesting systems at Roehampton Primary and Basic School, and Anchovy Primary School.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon Karl Samuda; and Montego Bay Mayor and St. James Municipal Corporation and RWSL Chairman, Councilor Homer Davis, toured the facilities along with other stakeholders on November 23.

During the tour, Mr. Samuda turned on a tap to symbolically commission the Spring Gardens system into service.

Speaking at a ceremony for the official commissioning of the Montpelier system, the Minister said the projects’ completion is welcome, in light of the protracted period over which some of the communities have been without potable water.

He assured that the Government is moving expeditiously to put the appropriate infrastructure in place that will facilitate the consistent provision of water to underserved communities.

“My mission, working with the Prime Minister, is to do everything I can to accelerate the process by which people in Jamaica no longer [need to] complain about a shortage of water,” the Minister stated.
Mr. Samuda also announced that upgrading work on the Shettlewood water system in Hanover will commence in early 2019.

He indicated that the system will, on completion, supply the commodity to thousands of residents in Anchovy, Mount Carey and Montpelier.

Meanwhile, Mr. Samuda urged persons to practise rainwater harvesting in a bid to stem challenges associated with the availability and provision of abundant water during droughts.

“We have to come to a time where, when we are building a house, we make provisions for catchment tanks, for cisterns and for water drainage, because this a precious commodity and in this period of climate change that has come upon us, it is vitally important that water through rainfall does not go to waste,” he emphasised.