Water Sector Rebounding Strongly After Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica’s water sector has rebounded significantly following the impact of Hurricane Melissa, with restoration efforts and major resilience initiatives advancing across the island.

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, made the announcement while delivering the Throne Speech during the Ceremonial Opening of Parliament for the 2026/27 Financial Year at Gordon House on Thursday (February 12).

He noted that, despite losses exceeding $10 billion, service was swiftly restored, with water supply reaching more than 90 per cent of customers by December 2025 and now standing at 95 per cent.

To strengthen emergency response, the Government procured 12 additional water trucks, expanding supply capacity by 146,000 litres per cycle, and allocated $243 million to Members of Parliament to facilitate trucked water distribution in drought-affected communities.

The Governor-General noted that Rural Water Supply Limited has expanded potable water access to more than 8,700 residents, with the figure projected to reach approximately 14,000 by March 2026.

He also highlighted the $28-billion Western Resilience Water Project, which remains on schedule since its launch in June 2025.

“With engineering and design work now complete… this project is set to enter full construction phase in June 2026 [and] will improve water supply and build resilience between Trelawny and Westmoreland for over 150,000 Jamaicans,” the Governor-General stated.

Advances in climate resilience and environmental management were underscored, including the installation of real-time flood gauges in Content, Manchester, and the development of a climate-linked food insecurity mapping tool to enhance early warning and planning systems.

Environmental protection efforts were strengthened under phase two of the National Tree Planting Initiative, which saw the planting of more than 200,000 trees and the declaration of 16 new Forest Management Areas.

The Forestry Department also deployed the region’s first tree spade to support recovery and biodiversity protection activities.

Looking ahead, the Governor-General stated that the 2026/27 legislative agenda will feature passage of a modern Forest Act, amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act, advancement of comprehensive climate-change legislation, and formulation of a Beach Access and Management Policy.

Additionally, the Government will seek US$20 million from the international Loss and Damage Fund to climate-proof water systems, advance rural water projects in Hampshire-Riversdale, St. Catherine, and Stepney, St. Ann – benefitting approximately 4,600 residents – and implement major e-mobility initiatives with international support.

The Governor-General stated that these measures reflect sustained investment in water security and environmental resilience, positioning communities to better withstand future climate-related shocks.