Macka Hill in St. Mary Gets Reliable Water Supply

The commissioning of the Macka Hill Pipeline Replacement Project in St. Mary Southeast now provides residents of the community and adjoining areas, with greater access to a reliable water supply.

The $31 million investment was officially commissioned into service by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, and other stakeholders, during a ceremony at Borie Road, Macka Hill, St. Mary, on Wednesday (March 15).

In his remarks, Senator Samuda said the Government remains committed to increasing Jamaicans’ access to water.

He said through the Tank and Pump Rehabilitation for Operational Efficiency Improvement Programme, the Government, through the National Water Commission (NWC), has increased access to potable water to hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans, particularly in rural parishes, over the last three fiscal years.

“Our rural communities have been without water for far too long, and we are determined to ensure that water systems are commissioned right across the length and breadth of this country,” he said.

Senator Samuda added that while the delivery of potable water to rural communities presents the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the NWC with various challenges, they are committed to “tackling it parish by parish, community by community, so that every resident of this country can have access to potable water.”

The Minister informed that the commissioning of the Macka Hill water supply system represents the culmination of work that commenced several years ago.

He urged residents to protect the system that aims to improve their access to the precious commodity, adding that they should report instances of water theft to the NWC and the police.

“Having put $31 million into the distribution network, [and then] having someone access it illegally, [and] destroy the network, undermines the investment, and it reduces your quality of life. Join us in fighting this scourge of water theft,” he implored.

Vice President of Operations, NWC, Herman Fagan, said the project aims to ensure that the residents of Macka Hill are serviced by a system that allows for greater resilience, better water quality and easier maintenance.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, and Member of Parliament for the area, Dr. the Hon. Norman Dunn, while pointing out other areas in the constituency that need to be addressed, expressed gratitude for the work that is being done to improve the supply and distribution of water in the constituency, the parish and the country.