60,000 NWC customers in western Jamaica still without water

Some 60,000 customers of the National Water Commission (NWC) in western Jamaica are still without piped water more than a month after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Commander Alvin Gayle, in giving an update on Melissa recovery at a Jamaica House press conference today, said the NWC continues to make progress in restoring water, noting that 61 per cent of customers in the western parishes have seen their supply returned.

Gayle said overall, 82 per cent of NWC customers have had their water supplies restored since Melissa hit on October 28.

He said the NWC and its partners have delivered approximately 10 million gallons of water to hurricane-affected communities.

He added that the commission has also deployed 12 additional water trucks, which he said have been strategically positioned across the island to ensure equitable distribution of safe water.

The ODPEM head said this will ensure the delivery of over 145,000 gallons per day to affected communities.

He further indicated that in addition to these deployments, some 23 water fill stations remain active across St James, Westmoreland, and Hanover, enabling continuous resupply to these trucks.

Turning to other utilities, Gayle said that 90 per cent of Jamaica Public Service customers have had service restored and work continues on the grid.

On Internet services, he said that 90 per cent of customers have had service restored to pre-hurricane levels.

On food delivery, the ODPEM head said that some 259,000 care packages have been delivered to residents in the affected parishes and some 3.2 million hot meals have been delivered.

Further, 50,000 care packages have also been delivered to others.

On the healthcare front, Gayle said that 50 per cent of health centres across the island are operational.

He said 24 hospitals are operational, while 325 health centres are up and running.

Turning to hurricane shelters, Gayle said 100 facilities, some of which are schools, remain in operation, housing some 1,107 persons.

On logistics, the head of ODPEM said that some 100 shipments totalling more than 2,000 metric tonnes of supplies, including food, hygiene products, medical supplies, and shelter materials, have entered Jamaica.

- Lester Hinds

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