National Water Commission (NWC) to probe Yallahs contamination claim
published:
Friday | February 22, 2008
Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer
The National Water Commission (NWC) is to launch an investigation into whether its supply of potable water to some households in the Corporate Area is being contaminated by unscrupulous persons illegally tapping into the Yallahs pipeline.
The 19-mile pipeline transports untreated water from St Thomas into the Mona Dam in St Andrew, where it is treated for distribution.
The pipeline, as big as 38 inches in circumference at some points, has frequently been a target for thieves seeking to extract water. It was previously believed that this water was being diverted strictly for agricultural purposes. That belief was shattered yesterday, however, by Joseph Hibbert, member of parliament for East Rural St Andrew, during a meeting of Parliament's Infrastructure Committee.
Hibbert told the committee that it had come to his attention that thieves in several communities along the route of the pipeline were now diverting the untreated water into their domestic pipelines. This, he said, meant that the untreated water was being mixed with the potable water in the NWC's distribution system.
"Where the NWC system exists in some of these communities, people are tapping the untreated water into the pipe system (for treated water), so you can imagine the sort of contamination that is likely to exist," he warned.
Disturbing development
Franklyn Williams, chief engineer/ senior vice-president of the NWC, told The Gleaner that this would be a very disturbing development if true.
"We would have to take action in that case," he said, adding that the police would be called in to assist in the investigation.
The last major survey of the pipeline was carried out by the NWC in the air and on land shortly after Hurricane Ivan struck in September 2004. By Williams' own admission, it was discovered then that the theft of water along the line was "quite intense", but seemingly for agricultural purposes only.
The police are already working closely with the NWC to uncover other illegal connections elsewhere in the island. It is a problem that may be even more serious than that faced through the theft of electricity from the Jamaica Public Service Company, according to Vernon Barrett, NWC vice-president for corporate and strategic planning.
"In tapping into our water systems, the most that usually happens to them is that they get wet, so if they are prepared to risk their lives stealing electricity, you can imagine how much more they are stealing from us," said Barrett.
Rooting out the problem of water theft along the Yallahs pipeline would not be easy, however, according to the NWC officials, as it runs through difficult terrain and several volatile communities which will not be readily dissuaded from the practice.
