NWC Restores Supply to 83.2% of Customers

To date, 83.2 per cent of National Water Commission (NWC) customers have had their service restored, since the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28.

Content Creation and Development Manager at the NWC, Andrew Cannon, told JIS News that the Commission is working overtime to restore service to all its customers for the Christmas season.

“Since the passage of the category-five system, 83.2 per cent of our customers have been restored with the supply, translating to a figure of some 458,925. We are aware that even though we say we are at 83.2 per cent, it means that there are persons who don’t have the supply. I want those customers to know that the NWC has not forgotten them. We are intensifying our focus. We are intensifying our drive to ensure that they have water,” he said.

Mr. Cannon pointed out that restoration efforts are hampered by inconsistent or lack of electricity supply to its network.

“We are in constant dialogue with the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company to have this improved. And in fairness, the JPS, they are doing a good job with the restoration, especially with the supply to our major systems and facilities,” he said.

Another challenge cited is broken mains in the network caused by the storm.

Mr. Cannon said the NWC will commence the trucking of water to impacted communities.

“This trucking would have been made possible following the commissioning of 12 new trucks. Many of them have already been deployed in the respective parishes where we are going to be doing the trucking, so our customers can look out for that,” he said.

“The trucking of the supply will augment what we are already doing with the restoration,” he added.

Mr. Cannon said the NWC has commenced distribution of five-gallon water kegs to these communities in the interim, as they work to restore service.

“We know that our customers are being challenged in terms of having the supply in some areas, but I want them to know that our crews are working right around the clock to ensure that they get the supply,” he said.