NWC Working Towards Viable Entity In Three Years

Minister of Water and Housing, Donald Buchanan has said that the National Water Commission would be embarking on several activities over the next three years to transform the entity into a viable business with the capacity to fund all its operational expenses and capital costs.
He said focus would also be placed on improving the quality of services to paying customers as well as expanding its customer base.
“Restructuring of the NWC is not a hit and run business. It is a sustained effort and we are committed to the process,” he told journalists at a press briefing at the Ministry on St. Lucia Avenue in Kingston on Thursday (Feb. 5).
Minister Buchanan disclosed that in an attempt to reduce non revenue water by 50 per cent and improve service reliability through systems rehabilitation, the NWC would spend $860 million over the next three years to among other things, procure 200 new pumps, 50 motors, 100 switch gears and to see to the replacement of thousands of metres of pipelines and general rehabilitation of water treatment plants and storage tanks. An additional $750 million will also be spent to address what the Minister described as “pressing problems of the sewerage systems”.
He said that in conjunction with the Inner City Housing Project, work valued at US$45 million was set to commence this year on a 135 million litre (30 million gallon) daily sewerage treatment plant and the construction of trunk sewers, as the first phase of implementation of the long awaited Soapberry Sewerage Project.
“This will significantly improve the quality of the effluent that is discharged to the Kingston Harbour by NWC operated wastewater facilities,” Minister Buchanan stated. He reiterated the commitment of all parties involved to ensure that the pledges made were delivered on.
The Minister said the objectives would be considered to have been met when the NWC had reduced by 50 per cent non revenue water, processed 54 million litres (12 million gallons) daily more sewage, increased potable water capacity by 90 million litres (20 million gallons) daily, achieved improved customer care, financial viability and an improved public image.
He said the turnaround of the NWC depended on the success of the various activities.