Improved Water Supply for Residents of Westmoreland
By: , December 1, 2014The Key Point:
Photo: ????????????????????????????????????
Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon Robert Pickergill (2nd left), is the first to taste water from the commissioned Barneyside water supply system, on November 28. Joining him are (from left): National Water Commission (NWC) Vice President for Potable Water Systems Operation and Maintenance, Mark Blair; Mayor of Savanna-la-mar, Councillor Bertel Moore; Director at Rural Water Supplies Limited, Pastor Omar Oliphant; Rev. Enroy Clarke and Councillor Bernard Vanreiil of the Cornwall Mountain Division. The Barneyside water supply was officially commissioned by Minister Pickergill.The Facts
- The work done on the tank and pipeline he pointed out will ensure that residents see “more than a trickle” from their pipes or have to rely on water being trucked to them.
- Minister Pickergill commended the tripartite partnership between the National Water Commission (NWC), Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) and the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, and contractors Bacchus Engineering Limited for their role in bringing the project to service delivery stage.
The Full Story
About 6,000 residents in sections of Westmoreland are now receiving improved water supply, following the re-commissioning of the Barneyside water tank, under the Government’s Water Improvement Project.
Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon Robert Pickergill on Friday, November 28 who officially commissioned the 150 thousand gallon (675 litre)-capacity tank at a ceremony in Cornwall Mountain, said the 40-odd year old storage system was refurbished at a cost of $4.3 million through a collaborative effort between the National Water Commission (NWC), Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) and the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change.
He said the tank was originally intended to serve 10 communities including Barneyside, Cornwall Mountain, Mount Stewart, Cold Spring, Castle Mountain, New Milns, Lambs River, Belvedere, Struie and Mack Field.
However, “we carried out some work on the distribution pipeline that will also enable Bethel Town to receive water from Barneyside. The number of persons who are able to be served by the Barneyside tank is 3000, but because of the additional communities to be served by the system, we will have to supply water to between 5000 and 6000 persons. So, even though the tank in completed , there will be challenges to supply all our customers with water 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Minister Pickergill stated.
The work done on the tank and pipeline he pointed out will ensure that residents see “more than a trickle” from their pipes or have to rely on water being trucked to them.
He assured the residents of Cornwall Mountain that work will begin in 2015 to upgrade the nearby Deans Valley Water Supply System. This he said will result in them receiving water on a daily basis.
Minister Pickergill commended the tripartite partnership between the National Water Commission (NWC), Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) and the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, and contractors Bacchus Engineering Limited for their role in bringing the project to service delivery stage. He urged residents to conserve the commodity.