JLP condemns PNP's 'false, irresponsible and reckless' water contamination claims

The Jamaica Labour Party says a claim by the People's National Party's Ian Hayles and Jesse James Clarke that water being distributed by the National Water Commission (NWC) in parts of Kingston and St Andrew is contaminated is "false, irresponsible and reckless".

JLP spokesman, Marlon Morgan said it is unfortunate that the PNP today repeated what he said was the false allegation despite a statement from the NWC last week which indicated that the Commission stands behind the integrity, safety and quality of the water supplied to households across Jamaica.

"Both Hayles and James should be ashamed of themselves. Their false statements represent a new low in the politics of desperation and further confirms that the PNP is willing to attempt to sew panic among the nation on baseless and spurious grounds in order to secure perverse political advantage," Morgan said, while calling for the PNP and Hayles to cease and desist making the claims.

Last Thursday, the NWC asserted that its operations meet the highest safety and quality standards and that its water is "continually monitored, thoroughly tested, and is in full compliance with the guidelines established by the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) and international best practices set by the World Health Organization."

The NWC's response came after Clarke, a microbiology and food quality lecturer, raised concerns about the safety of the water.

Clarke, who is also the chairman of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation's public health committee, said he has seen NWC test results from rural areas that showed contamination.

Clarke said water samples are returning a high number of positive results for faecal coliforms, a type of bacteria that indicates that the water has been contaminated with faeces, which could pose a serious public health concern.

In its March 20 statement, the NWC acknowledged that small rural water systems "can" pose challenges due to environmental factors. But it said it "pays close attention to the potential issues and seeks to address them immediately."

"Notwithstanding the fact that a number of these facilities are remotely located and only serve very small segments of the population (for instance, less than 40 customers in Bowden Hill), the NWC is constantly reviewing its infrastructural designs and seeking to improve its water supply systems where vulnerabilities are identified," the commission said.

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