Major Improvements to KMA Water Supply

Work is progressing on the installation of a new pipeline, along the Spanish Town Bypass, St. Catherine, with some 18 kilometres of the 22-kilometres of pipeline having already been completed.
Minister of Water and Housing, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, said that the project is being undertaken under the $7.8 billion Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA) Water Supply Project.
He was speaking in the 2010/11 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (May 18).
Dr. Chang said, so far, about 19 water production facilities have been rehabilitated, including the Tulloch Springs and Spanish Town Water Treatment plants, under the project.
Water mains in Spanish Town and Willowdene have been replaced, as well as the repair of nine water storage tanks. Work under the programme also involves the installation of a 400-millimetre pipeline along the Sligoville Road and a 200-millimetre pipeline from the Little Greendale Well.
“The rehabilitation works have not only improved the efficiency levels of these production facilities, but has provided significant improvement in the water supply to major sections of the Greater Spanish Town Area,” Dr. Chang said.
He stated that an additional five million gallons of water per day will be provided through the rehabilitation of some existing wells, and the drilling and development of new ones.
Cleaning and yield testing of the Angels No. 2 and Ariguanabo wells were done, as well as the completion of the drilling of a new borehole to replace the existing Chung’s Well, he said.
Dr. Chang added that new wells will be drilled and developed to provide water for South East St. Catherine, and detailed engineering designs are now being finalised to facilitate implementation during this financial year.
The project is jointly funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Government of Jamaica and the National Water Commission (NWC).