Mona Heights Sewerage Project Far Advanced

The Mona Heights sewerage expansion project in Kingston, undertaken by the National Water Commission (NWC) at a cost of $320 million, will positively impact approximately 1,800 households.

The project areas include Bougainvillea Avenue, Spathodia Avenue and Gardenia Avenue.

Under the project, 2.2 kilometres of 8-inch pipelines are being installed. Project objectives include the extension of sanitary sewers that will mitigate public health challenges and facilitate planned land-development projects.

The project is to facilitate retiring a multitude of small on-site septic systems and, consequently, reduce the seepage of waste into the existing aquifers.

During a tour of the project area on June 22, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, said the project is critical to ensuring the environmental health of the water table in Kingston 6 and 8 and that many more projects of this nature are to be undertaken.

“The way we would have developed with backyard pits is not the best way for us, and we are playing catch-up in many ways. We are investing at a rapid rate now but, admittedly, this investment is decades late. We should have developed with our sewerage lines. However, we are deploying capital at a faster rate than ever before for the NWC,” he noted.

Senator Samuda said that this year, some $7 billion in infrastructure projects is to be deployed. The upgrade of the country’s sewerage system is a critical line item.

Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Eastern, Hon. Fayval Williams, said the project, which is in its final stages, will be completed shortly.

“It is the second such project in Mona Heights and it is to provide proper sewerage infrastructure for the community…. It is all part of the development of the housing and sewerage infrastructure in Jamaica,” she added.

The project is part of the NWC’s strategic goal to expand its sewerage coverage to 30 per cent by the year 2030.