Government To Increase Water Trucking

 

Minister Mathew Samuda

The Government is intensifying its drought response, including significantly increasing the trucking of water to vulnerable communities, as Jamaica faces worsening dry conditions and forecasts indicate little to no rainfall of consequence over the next few weeks.

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Matthew Samuda, said the prolonged lack of rainfall is placing increasing pressure on Jamaica’s primary water sources and makes conservation essential.

The Minister stated, “The projections and forecasts from the Met Service, which they have cross-checked with the Caribbean Meteorological Organization in Florida, do not suggest any rainfall of consequence in Jamaica over the next few weeks. And that is incredibly unusual.”

Minister Samuda said Jamaica has experienced significantly below average rainfall over the last three months, at a time when the country would normally be receiving rainfall necessary to recharge aquifers, replenish wells and rivers, and restore storage facilities. The situation is particularly concerning ahead of the back to school period, when household and institutional water demand is expected to increase.

He said the Government has therefore implemented prohibition orders in the eastern parishes most affected by the drought to slow the depletion of already stressed water sources.

“So we had to take the decision that certainly in the eastern parishes where have been worst affected, that we were going to put in place prohibition orders to be able to significantly reduce our rate of depletion,” said Samuda.

The Government has already spent approximately $86 million on emergency water trucking through Members of Parliament to support communities affected by water shortages. With conditions expected to worsen, that response is expected to increase substantially, potentially reaching $500 million.

Minister Samuda said municipalities will be resourced to respond to communities outside utility service areas, while the National Water Commission will receive additional support to prioritise critical infrastructure.

The Minister stressed that water deliveries must be requested in advance, as priority will be given to hospitals, health centres, schools and places of safety, followed by vulnerable citizens and water scarce communities.

The Government is closely monitoring conditions in St. Mary, Portland, St. Thomas, Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Ann, while keeping a close watch on Clarendon. Some rainfall has been recorded in western sections of the island, particularly Hanover, Westmoreland and parts of St. Elizabeth, although levels remain below normal.

In the meantime, Samuda urged Jamaicans to conserve water as the country manages an increasingly severe and unusual weather pattern.

Editor's Note

If water is being distributed by trucks to various areas, then it must be done in an organized way, and the operation must be supervised. I have seen a truck come in an area to deliver water, and people had to run from their homes to get water from the truck.

First, residents need to know when the truck is visiting the area.

The truck should visit every residence, or residents should be allowed to request water, and the truck should visit street by street where they have had requests.

The minister should know that only those who get free water can afford to waste it.

Leaking pipes are probably causing more waste than people wasting the water.

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