Water Supply Commissioned In Top Aberdeen, St. Elizabeth
By: , February 18, 2022
Photo: Serena Grant
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (fourth left), officially turns on the Top Aberdeen St. Elizabeth water supply, during a ceremony held in the community recently. Sharing in the moment (from left) are Deputy Chairman of Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) Peter Clarke; Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth Northeastern, Delroy Sloley; Acting Regional Manager for the National Water Commission (NWC) - Manchester and St. Elizabeth, Caudel Daley; and Councillor of the Siloah Division, Audie Myers.
Photo: Serena Grant
Top Aberdeen resident, Faithlyn Griffiths-Burke.
Photo: Serena Grant
Top Aberdeen resident, Mervin Taylor.The Full Story
Shouts of celebration rippled among residents gathered in Top Aberdeen, St. Elizabeth, as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, officially commissioned the community’s water supply into service.
The project, spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development through Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), was completed at a cost of $110 million, funded by the Government.
The works included a newly constructed solar hybrid water pumping station, the installation of pipelines, and the construction of a water storage tank.
One resident of the community, Faithlyn Griffiths-Burke, told JIS News that she has to “give thanks for the supply which was turned on today. I am very elated… [before], we had to fetch the water from the spring here; it was a struggle.”
Residents are to apply to the National Water Commission (NWC) for the connection of the water supply to their homes.
Meanwhile, another resident of the community, Mervin Taylor, told JIS News that he was thankful to the Government for keeping its promise to remedy the water situation in Top Aberdeen.
He also outlined how difficult it was to be without the commodity, “but thanks be to God, it will all soon be over; it will be a thing of the past.”
Member of Parliament for North East St. Elizabeth Delroy Sloley, noted in an interview with JIS News that he was overjoyed.
“The Government has made significant investment into this project, we are talking about over $100 million, and it goes to show how serious the Government is…because the struggle in terms of [potable] water supply is real,” he said.
To encourage the residents to sign up for their supply in short order, Mr. Sloley noted that the NWC would give the first 50 residents who apply, a 50 per cent discount on their connection fee.
“I really want to encourage more persons to come on stream legally, and we want to look at adequate return on investment,” Mr. Sloley outlined.
Over 1,600 persons in Top Aberdeen and its environs will benefit from the water supply project.