PM Commissions Sandy Bank to Black River Replacement Pipeline into Service

Prime Minister, the Most Hon Andrew Holness, commissioned into service the $129 million Sandy Bank to Black River Replacement Pipeline Project in St. Elizabeth on Friday (July 29).

More than 2,500 residential and commercial customers, institutions and schools served by the pipeline will now have more reliable access to potable water.

The project, which was undertaken by the National Water Commission (NWC), included replacement of an eight-inch asbestos cement transmission main extending from the Sandy Ground intersection and ending at the Black River High School on High Street.

Chronic leakage of the old transmission main over the years resulted in continuous service disruption to residents and contributed to the NWC’s major water loss.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Mr. Holness said that the Government continues to make strategic investments in the country’s water infrastructure to reduce operational costs, correct leaks and improve efficiency in supply to residents.

He noted that the water supplied by the NWC is of excellent quality and it is “a real travesty to have such a superior quality of water just being wasted.”

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, said the NWC intends to expand its Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Reduction Programme to rural parishes as it intensifies activities to reduce NRW loss.

“I know the NWC president and his team will soon come to you [Prime Minister Holness] to discuss the broadening of the NRW programme outside of Kingston, St. Andrew and indeed Portmore and [the wider] St. Catherine to see how we can build it out to the rest of Jamaica as quickly as possible and the appropriate financial model. We are clear that the unreliability of our network should not continue to be a burden to our people going forward,” he said.

Senator Samuda said that the Government also continues to look at solutions to reduce the NWC’s energy costs, which continue to be impacted by global oil prices.

“We have been working around the clock to look at energy solutions, to look at our energy usage and to bring a comprehensive plan to you [Prime Minister] and the Cabinet for sign off because we are clear that we won’t be able to meet or deliver targets without significantly reducing our energy usage and our energy costs, he said.