Soapberry Wastewater Treatment Plant to Go to Market in Three Months – Minister Samuda

In another three months, the Government will go to market for the divestment of the Soapberry Wastewater Treatment Plant in St. Catherine, says Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda.

The aim is to double the plant’s 75,000 cubic metres per day capacity to 150,000 cubic metres per day to manage increased wastewater flows from the Kingston and St. Andrew (KSA) area, upgrading it from a secondary to a tertiary treatment plant.

The Minister gave the update during a panel discussion at the Sygnus Business at Breakfast event held at the company’s offices on Belmont Road in Kingston on Wednesday (March 25).

The Soapberry plant is part of a multi-year suite of projects, valued at approximately US$5 billion, that are aimed at increasing the country’s water capacity and improve sewage and wastewater infrastructure.

Minister Samuda informed that at least US$1.5 billion worth of these projects will involve public-private partnership (PPP).

“We will go to market… over the next 16 to 18 months,” Mr. Samuda said.

He informed that the World Bank assisted with developing the suite of projects, which will deliver significant benefits for the economy and the environment and drive down costs for consumers.

“We also have energy costs that are abominably high that create space for investors,” Minister Samuda said.