$1B plans to ease Brown’s Town water problems

Member of Parliament (MP) for St Ann North Western Krystal Lee says $1 billion will be spent to address the perennial water problems affecting residents of Brown’s Town and adjoining communities.

In making her first presentation to the State of Constituency debate in the House of Parliament on Tuesday, the first-time MP said approximately $450 million will be spent on the Queenhythe water system, a further $150 million on the Thicketts Water System Project, and approximately $400 million on phase two of the Minard Water System upgrade, which involves replacement of old and leaking pipes.

Lee said the project is slated for next financial year, pending the availability of funds.

Citing the shortage and lack of piped and potable water as a “grave issue” that affects over 60 per cent of communities, Lee said she has been working assiduously with the National Water Commission, the Rural Water Supply and the St Ann Municipal Corporation to resolve the issue.

“Residents living in Liberty Gardens, Dover, Belair Meadows and Dunbarton have seen an improvement of their water supply due to an upgrade of the relift pump at Rose Mount,” Lee said.

“Further improvements of the Rose Mount facilities are to be done to provide an improved and reliable water supply to over 2,000 individuals in the areas of Discovery Bay, Bridge Water and Primrose Hill,” she added.

Also to benefit from water for the first time from this upgrade are the communities of Helicon, Hopewell Bottom and Commando, Lee noted.

“Madam Speaker, through work done by the National Water Commission, our people of Up Hill and Dunbarton now have piped water. They have been without this precious commodity for over 80 years,” Lee further disclosed.

She said the Minard Water System is currently under phase one of its upgrade and new pumps and motors have been procured for both the well and the lift station. The MP said this is to make the system more reliable and produce more water to better serve the existing communities that are already on the system.

Over 10,000 residents are to benefit from the upgraded water systems, Lee pointed out.