Yahneake Sterling, Staff Reporter

Surging population growth in the Kingston Metropolitan Area and around watershed areas has led to a shortage of water in the region, according to Charles Buchanan, corporate public relations manager at the National Water Commission (NWC). The areas most affected are those served by the Hermitage and Mona dams. Built in the 1920s and 1940s, respectively, the population then was significantly fewer.

Information from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica revealed that the population of Kingston and Port Royal in 1943 was 103,713, while in St. Andrew, the number was 120,067. No data were available for the 1920s.

In 2006, however, the population of this region has grown significantly, as Kingston and St. Andrew now has an estimated population of 658,759 persons

Unhealthy areas

According to Mr. Buchanan, since both dams were built, water-supply interventions such as from St. Thomas through the Yallahs pipeline and from St. Catherine through the Tulloch springs have been established to handle the rapid growth of the population.

Deforestation, along with slash-and-burn farming, has also been blamed for the water shortage, causing increased soil erosion, reduced rainfall and more rapid run-offs.

"A number of the areas which were green, forested areas are now being affected by persons living in those areas more than previously, or persons undertaking slash-and-burn agricultural types of operations, or persons just causing damage to the watershed areas, so the increased population is affecting us in more ways than one," Mr. Buchanan said.

According to Mr. Buchanan, the areas surrounding the Hope watershed and the Hermitage watershed are unhealthy.

He added that the water crisis now facing the Kingston Metro-politan Region is not unique to Jamaica as other developing, as well as developed, countries are now experiencing similar difficulties.

To prepare for the long-term effect that could leave the Kingston Metropolitan Area 'dry,' Mr. Buchanan said the NWC, along with the Forestry Department, is now working to reforest the affected areas to increase rainfall and ensure more consistent flows from rivers, which he also credits as a major factor behind the water crisis.

But with the population of Jamaica expected to be 2.9 million by 2020, illegal activities in watershed areas will have to be contained.

Last week, the NWC urged schools in the Corporate Area to brace for limited water supply come September, and to establish intervention measures to alleviate the shortage.