NWC Investing More Than $1.8B in Sewage Treatment and Water Infrastructure Modernisation

The National Water Commission (NWC) has programmed $1.8 billion for the rehabilitation and upgrading of wastewater treatment facilities.

This is part of multibillion-dollar investments aimed at rectifying aging pipelines and integrating renewable energy solutions as part of efforts to modernise Jamaica’s water infrastructure.

The goal is to expand the NWC’s capacity, strengthen the entity’s resilience and reduce inefficiencies.

Details are outlined in the Jamaica Public Bodies Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Year ending March 2026.

A key programmed activity is the Western Resilience Pipeline Project, designed to enhance service reliability by replacing aging transmission mains.

This project will see the installation of 29 kilometres of pipelines from Martha Brae to Montego Bay, and replacement of the existing 250mm pipeline from Lucea to Negril.

It is expected to be executed over 18 to 24 months.

Additional expenditure is also earmarked to upgrade 7.2 kilometres of water mains from Ferry to Rock Pond in Red Hills, St. Andrew, as well as pipeline replacements along Washington Boulevard.

The NWC will also continue water system upgrading islandwide with an earmarked $1.03 billion.

Among the systems being targeted are Greater Mandeville, Agualta Vale, Black River, Rock River/Low Ground, Morant Bay, and Yallahs to Whitehorses.

Additionally, $216 million will be used for installing new and more accurate meters, as well as replacing aged ones.

Energy efficiency remains a central focus for the NWC, with plans to reduce energy costs through the installation of solar systems.

It is anticipated that work will be completed by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025/26 at the Leader Avenue pump station (350kW) and Frasers Content pumping station (100kW).

These initiatives are intended to reduce energy consumption from the national grid by 800kW during the daytime.

The NWC will also focus on reducing non-revenue water (NRW), particularly through the co-management programme in Portmore, St. Catherine.

This initiative aims to cut NRW levels from 21,000 to 10,500 cubic metres per day.

Established in 1980 through a merger of the Kingston and St. Andrew Water Commission and the National Water Authority, the NWC currently supplies potable water to more than 74 per cent of the population and provides sewerage services to 19 per cent.

The Commission manages an extensive network of more than 1,000 water supply facilities, 11,000 kilometres of water mains and over 68 wastewater treatment plants.