Upgraded Martha Brae System to Harness More Water
By: , July 4, 2023
Photo: Okoye Henry
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda (left) and Member of Parliament for Trelawny Northern, Tova Hamilton (second left), look on as Country Manager for Vinci Construction, Timothée Delebarre (right), gives details about the new automated trash machine that forms part of the new Martha Brae intake system, during the official commissioning of the $100- million upgraded infrastructure in Martha Brae, Trelawny, on June 29.The Full Story
The $100-million upgraded Martha Brae intake system of the National Water Commission (NWC) was commissioned into service on June 29 by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda.
This will allow the NWC to harness an additional three to four million gallons of water daily, increasing the overall production at the Martha Brae Water Treatment Plant from eight million gallons to more than 11 million gallons.
“The system before you is a modern system [and] significant work has been done. These works will ensure in Trelawny that Falmouth, Bounty Hall, Cooper’s Pen, Royalton, Ocean Coral Spring, Salt Marsh, Davis Pen, Wiltshire, Scarlett Hall, Martha Brae and Braco benefit,” Mr. Samuda said.
Communities in St. James, such as Lilliput, sections of Rose Hall, Flanker, and the Norwood area, as well as Discovery Bay and its environs in St. Ann, will also benefit from the upgraded system, he noted.
The Minister pointed out that a new automated trash machine that forms part of the investment will significantly reduce disruptions to the network to deliver potable water to the more than 20,000 customers it services across the three parishes.
“We are building the infrastructure that will carry water to every single household in Jamaica. It is going to take some time but we have to continue to run the NWC well, so that the fiscal space is created to invest in your water supply,” Mr. Samuda said.
He noted that while the project was well executed, the West and Jamaica, by extension, are not yet “out of the woods”, as more is required to bolster service delivery and strengthen NWC’s operational efficiency.
“It is why this Government is investing $7.5 billion into the infrastructure of the NWC in this fiscal year,” Mr. Samuda indicated.
“That investment is being made into intakes, storage capacity, pipe replacement, processing capacity, resilience building; so, when we have the greatest challenges, we will be able to give support to those most in need,” he added.