Dr Kenneth Russell expresses concern of state of water systems in South East St Ann

Member of Parliament for South East St. Ann, Dr. Kenneth Russell, is concerned about the condition and reliability of key water supply systems serving communities across the constituency.

The concern comes against the backdrop of ongoing challenges affecting major water facilities in Claremont, Thatch Hill, and Moneague. While the nature of the issues varies from system to system, residents in several communities continue to experience disruptions, reduced service, or uncertainty regarding their water supply.

The most severe impact is currently being felt in communities served by the Claremont Well, which has been out of operation since May 31. The system serves Claremont, Beechamville, Coultart, Alderton, Golden Grove, Steerfield, Orange Park, Barrett Hall, Carton Mountain and surrounding communities, leaving thousands of residents without their normal piped water supply.

The National Water Commission (NWC) has been trucking water to affected areas and has established a delivery schedule. Dr. Russell acknowledged the efforts of the NWC team and the challenging circumstances under which they are operating.

“I appreciate the work being done by the NWC staff and the efforts being made to support residents with water. However, trucking cannot fully replace a reliable piped water supply, particularly in hilly communities and areas with narrow roads where access is difficult,” Dr. Russell said.

While Dr. Russell acknowledged the efforts being made to support affected residents, he emphasized that immediate action is required to address the challenges affecting the Claremont, Moneague, and Thatch Hill systems.

“Residents need immediate relief and a clear path back to reliable water service, especially in Claremont, where communities served by that system have been without their normal piped water supply for several weeks. I am urging the NWC to install a temporary pump at the Claremont Well and to deploy additional smaller trucks to serve communities where hilly terrain and narrow streets make access difficult for larger units. At the same time, urgent attention must be given to restoring full capacity at the Moneague and Thatch Hill systems so that residents across the constituency can have confidence in the reliability of their water supply.”

Dr. Russell also called on the NWC to strengthen the resilience of water systems serving South East St. Ann by:
• Acquiring and maintaining backup pumps that can be deployed quickly when major systems experience failures;
• Ensuring that critical spare parts are readily available to reduce repair times; and
• Reviewing contingency arrangements to better manage prolonged outages.

“Every year around this time, same story. We have now seen major systems in Claremont, Thatch Hill, and Moneague either out of operation or not functioning at full capacity. Residents understand that equipment failures can occur, but they also expect contingency measures to be in place to minimize disruptions and restore service as quickly as possible.”

While repairs continue, Dr. Russell is appealing to residents to make use of the trucked water service being provided by the NWC. Where scheduled deliveries are missed, delayed, or insufficient, residents should notify both the NWC and the Office of the Member of Parliament so that gaps in service can be identified and addressed.