NIC Urges Residents Not To Interfere With Canals

The National Irrigation Commission (NIC) is reminding the public that it is an offence to dump garbage, swim in, take water from or interfere with water from its open canal system.

Public Education Specialist with the Commission, Christeen Forbes, said the open canal system is critical for providing water to farmers.

“We want to create a link so persons can understand that when we dump garbage in the canals, we’re threatening the ability of the NIC to serve the water to our farmers and we know that for the farmers to produce they need the water, so we are threatening our own food security,” she said.

Ms. Forbes was speaking at a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank, held at the Agency’s Television Department, 5-9 South Odeon Avenue, in Kingston.

She pointed out that interference with the water – whether by washing cars or any form of recreational activity – is a chargeable offence under the Irrigation Act.

“You’ll see children and adults; sometimes there are even reports of people having parties. Sometimes they call it canal splash… and it’s very illegal. It’s not just the illegality of it, but it is dangerous for them to be swimming in the canal because the pressure of the water may change, and we don’t want to have any fatalities,” Ms. Forbes said.

“We want to bring awareness around that to say it is illegal to swim, abstract water, host events, dump garbage, and also to wash your vehicles. Many times, we go there; sometimes we know that the residents, they are aware but when our security teams, for example, who patrol the area, will engage them, they’ll say that they’re not aware,” she continued.

Ms. Forbes specifically mentioned that the canal that goes through Spanish Town is often used illegally. This canal takes water from the Rio Cobre dam, which is a diversion dam that channels the water many miles, as far as Old Harbour.

Meanwhile, the NIC is working to boost awareness on the value of the open canal system to agriculture and how communities can play an active role in protecting the sector.

Meanwhile, Director of Engineering and Technical Services at the NIC, Rohan Stewart, said one critical area is the dumping of garbage in the canals, which can require weekly clean-ups of up to seven truckloads of waste.

“It costs in terms of time, finances and the inconvenience of taking it, disturbing the flow of water to our customers [who are farmers]. We have a plan in place to go into schools if we can try to start with our children, and hopefully they will take it home to their parents and understand the importance of what the canal is. Many persons in the community don’t make that relationship between the canal and the farmer,” he noted.

For further information on the work of the Commission, persons can visit nicjamaica.com.