Parish Council and NWC Working to Restore Water Supplies in Portland

As residents in Portland struggle to overcome the challenges, following the passage of Hurricane Ivan, the unavailability of water is one of their major concerns.
Both the Portland Parish Council and the National Water Commission (NWC) have given assurances that everything was being done to restore the supplies for which they are responsible, as early as possible.
Most of the communities have been left without water, as the hurricane devastated the supply systems, forcing residents to go in search of the commodity wherever it is available.
Of the 19 supply systems operated by the Council, 13 are out of operation following the onslaught of Ivan. Speaking to JIS News, Secretary/Manager of the Portland Parish Council, Franklyn Smith said work began on September 13 to restore the service to as many persons as possible. He said the Council would be spending a total of $650,000.00 to fully restore the system, and that most of the work being carried out included the removal of fallen trees, the cleaning of valves to allow for a more efficient service, and the treating of water.
Mr. Smith expressed confidence that all systems should be back in service during the course of this week, and that the Council was highly appreciative of the patience and co-operation displayed by the residents.
Meanwhile, the NWC has assured that all the facilities in the parish were being checked and prepared for re-commissioning, pending the resumption of service by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo.) In the meantime, water is being trucked on a daily basis to priority areas such as hospitals, clinics and infirmaries.