Chang

Minister of Water and Housing Dr Horace Chang yesterday announced that the Government would be spending $447 million to put in place a five-pronged drought-mitigation programme to ease the protracted water shortage by February next year.

Additionally, the ministry is in the process of initiating a black-tank programme to ensure that households are equipped with adequate storage facilities to receive trucked water.

Educating the public

He said the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management's emergency fund would provide $2.9 million to purchase 500 200-gallon tanks.

Each tank would be sold for approximately $5,872.

Addressing yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing, Chang said the Government would be forking out $17 million to fund a long-term public awareness and education programme.

Another $18 million will be disbursed to the Rural Water Supply Limited to commission several projects to facilitate the flow of new water into the Corporate Area, while $142 million was to be spent to develop five wells in the Corporate Area to bring an additional two million gallons per day into the system.

Wells to be rehabilitated

Havendale $45 million

Rennock Lodge $10 million

Hampstead $30 million

Kings House $27 million

Devon House $30 million