THE KINGSTON Metropolitan Area (KMA) Water Supply and Rehabilitation Project is a step closer to realistion with pre-construction and investigative works being carried out in St. Catherine, National Water Commission said yesterday.
The project is to improve water distribution in greater Spanish Town, the Rio Cobre System, and parts of South East St. Catherine.
"This will not only increase the amount of treated water available supply, but will also improve the NWC's ability to harness, treat and deliver water within the KMA," the Commission said.
Jointly financed by the Governments of Japan and Jamaica, the project includes the rehabilitation of existing water supply facilities, replacement of aged pipelines, the development of new sources of water supply, mitigating revenue losses, and institutional strengthening of the NWC to improve operating efficiencies, among other activities.
Speaking on the status of the project, NWC project manager, Garth Jackson, said that in January 2004, 'non-revenue water' control work was done in Hellshire with over 90 per cent of leaks being repaired and over 250 service connections surveyed.
This resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in losses. Customer survey work is ongoing in Hellshire Park Estate as well as "step testing", which involves checks along the pipelines, and leak repairs.
Mr. Jackson said in order to obtain accurate information about the existing condition of the well sources which are to be rehabilitated, field investigations are currently being carried out on 26 wells in St. Catherine.
Work on this phase of the project began in mid-February and is expected to be completed by mid June 2004. To date, nine wells have been investigated - Dunbeholden, Rio Cobre Well E, Green Acres, Lime Tree, Brown's, Cookson, Bybrook No. 3, Friendship and Half-Way-Tree.
Another 17 wells are to be investigated in this phase of the KMA project.
"The average disruption time for each well being investigated has been five to seven days," said Mr. Jackson.
"We have also put in contingency measures to minimise the impact of the water supply disruption on our customers."
These measures he pointed out, include trucking water to the affected areas, as well as partial diversion of water from other areas to the affected communities.
Mr. Jackson also noted that detailed engineering drawings and tender documents for the rehabilitation of existing facilities and new sources within the KMA are currently well advanced and construction is scheduled to begin towards the end of 2004, following the invitation and receipt of tenders.
The KMA Water Project is expected to benefit a population of approximately one million residents. It will be implemented over a four year period ending in 2007.
