NWC to Invest $10 Billion in Water Infrastructure

The NWC will be investing $10.067 billion in capital expenditure for 2025/26 to facilitate infrastructure upgrades, network expansion, and service improvements.

This is contained in 2025/26 Public Bodies Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives by Finance and the Public Service Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, recently.

The major investments planned, include the commencement of the Western Resilience Pipeline Project, which is expected to improve service reliability by replacing aged transmission mains along the corridor between St. Ann, Trelawny, St. James, and the Hanover/Westmoreland border.

The project includes installing 29 kilometres (km) of pipelines from Martha Brae to Montego Bay and replacing the existing aged 250mm line from Lucea to Negril. It is estimated to cost US$170 million, with an implementation period of 18 to 24 months.

Funding of $5 billion is allocated for this project during the Budget year.

The NWC also plans to upgrade 7.2km of mains from Ferry to Rock Pond in Red Hills, St. Andrew, at a cost of $1.2 billion.

The Commission will also replace pipeline along Washington Boulevard, rehabilitate and upgrade wastewater treatment plants, including those in Munroe to Wellington, as well as undertake emergency works at a cost of $1.8 billion.

For the upcoming fiscal year, the NWC plans to continue the islandwide water supply initiative, with an investment of $1.037 billion.

This includes projects such as the Greater Mandeville water supply, Agualta Vale water supply, Black River, Rock River/Low Ground water supply, Morant Bay water supply, and Yallahs to Whitehorses, among others.

The NWC will also be installing meters at an estimated cost of $216 million to facilitate the continued replacement of aged meters, metering unmetered accounts, and installing more accurate meters.

The Commission will also focus on reducing non-revenue water (NRW), prioritising the co-management programme in St. Catherine (Portmore), with an aim to reduce NRW from 21,000m³ to 10,500m³ per day.

Meanwhile, the document noted that improved energy efficiency remains a priority as the NWC aims to reduce energy cost.

To this end, the Commission plans to complete the installation of solar systems at Leaders Avenue pump station (350kW) and Frasers Content pumping station (100kW) by the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, resulting in a reduction in energy consumption from the national grid by 800kW during daylight hours by the end of the financial year.

The National Water Commission, a statutory organisation, was established in 1980 through the amalgamation of the Kingston and St. Andrew Water Commission and the rurally focused, National Water Authority.