NWC shocks with month-long water supply disruption plan
Published:Monday | January 15, 2024 | 12:10 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
A looming disruption of water supply has raised eyebrows among residents in St Catherine, prompting a call for better communication and contingency plans to alleviate the inconvenience caused by infrastructural rehabilitation efforts being conducted by the National Water Commission (NWC).
The concerns come amid the NWC’s planned rehabilitation of the Bybrook #4 Water Facility and the impact it will have on areas including Hamilton Gardens, Christian Pen, Newland Road, Cumberland, Cedar Grove, Edgewater, Waterford, Gregory Park, Braeton, and Independence City in Portmore. Sections of Spanish Town, including Eltham Acres, Eltham, Greendale, Keystone, Patten Park, Richard Hall, Waterloo Gardens, and St Jago Gardens, will also be affected starting tomorrow until February 6 when the NWC is expected to complete the rehabilitation work.
In Kingston and St Andrew, Molynes Road, Washington Boulevard and sections of downtown Kingston will also experience disruptions.
Despite the NWC’s assurance that it would be supplying water from alternate sources during the period, some communities are expected to face intermittent disruptions or no water from their pipes at all.
While the NWC expressed regret and sought understanding from its customers, residents from the communities named in a social media post by the utility company yesterday outlined their frustration with the manner in which information was being provided.
“I don’t think anyone in Edgewater knew that this was coming,” said a resident of that community in Portmore. “Furthermore, most persons don’t have adequate storage facilities to sustain a reasonable water supply for this extended disruption.”
Alric Campbell, deputy mayor of Portmore, who represents the Edgewater division, said the NWC continues to score poorly where public relations and community outreach are concerned.
Not enough storage
“Myself, along with many of my constituents, will suffer from the impact of any extended disruption. However, I will be monitoring the effect of the disruption on the vulnerable persons who do not have adequate storage facilities and request trucking of water into the area,” Campbell told The Gleaner.
In Independence City, residents on Myrtle Way, Tenn Way, and Portmore Drive say they also lack the storage facilities to cope with such an extended period of disruption.
“We have been suffering before this from the water crisis. This will make it harder for us now,” said Donna Jones.
Courtney Edwards, councillor for the division, said he took issue with NWC saying it would truck water into the area “on request”.
Argued Edwards: “Once you have disenfranchised the customers of piped water, the NWC should be duty-bound to truck water into affected areas.”
In its notice on social media, the NWC said the operations at the Bybrook #4 Water Facility would be suspended from Tuesday, January 16 to Tuesday, February 6, to facilitate well-rehabilitation activities at the facility.
“The work is necessary to safeguard the viability of the well and to improve overall efficiency of water supply operations,” the utility company said in its notice.
“The company is also advising that, during the period of work, it will be utilising an alternate water facility to supply the impacted areas. Some sections of St Catherine and St Andrew are likely to experience intermittent supply disruption or no water supply. Trucked water will also be provided upon request.”
Up to yesterday evening, the NWC had promised to but had not yet provided responses to Gleaner queries for details around the planned water supply disruptions.