Scotts Hall Water Supply System in St. Mary to be Upgraded

The water supply system serving the community of Scotts Hall in St. Mary will be upgraded, as a result of the collaboration between the Scott’s Hall Benevolent Society and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).
As a result of the partnership, $10.2 million has been allocated for the project, with the JSIF contributing $5.8 million and the Scott’s Hall Benevolent Society donating $4.4 million.
A contract binding both organizations to the agreement was signed during a ceremony held at the Scott’s Hall Anglican Church on May 10. Activities to be carried out under the project include the construction of an entombment and weir to harness the output from the existing underground spring, the construction of a 100,000-litre water storage tank, the laying of supply lines from the weir of the entombment to the tank, and the relaying of lines within the community. Work on the project is scheduled to commence within the next two weeks and is expected to be completed in eight months.
Approximately 1,100 residents of the community are expected to benefit from the project when it is completed.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ayanna Demetrius, Community Driven Development Co-ordinator for the JSIF, said the organization was pleased to be associated with a project aimed at making clean water available to a community, as there was a significant amount of people worldwide with no access to that service.
She said the JSIF was cognizant of the integral role that the availability of water played in the socio economic development process, adding that the role of water in the advancement of the lives of people should never be under estimated.
Mrs. Demetrius pointed out that JSIF has spent approximately $196 million on 38 water related projects to provide water for many communities across the island.
She noted that St. Mary has been the recipient of four of these projects, representing a value of approximately $41 million.
Congratulating members of the Scott’s Hall Benevolent Society for the community spirit they have displayed in embarking on the project, Mrs. Demetrius implored the residents to regard it as their own, and to make the best use of the opportunities offered.