Holness says ageing NWC network needs major infrastructure upgrade

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says Jamaica will need major upgrades to the National Water Commission's infrastructure if the agency is to keep delivering water in a reliable and efficient way. Speaking at the NWC Service Excellence Awards, he said many of the systems and connections now in use are outdated and well beyond the lifespan they were built to serve.

Holness said the challenge is not peculiar to Jamaica, arguing that ageing infrastructure is affecting both developed and developing countries. He said a significant portion of the NWC's network is more than 70 years old, and that the scale of the problem becomes clearer when the pipelines, treatment plants and distribution systems serving expanding communities are taken into account.

He said that, viewed in that context, "you begin to understand that much of the system has reached its engineered useful life." Holness also pointed to assets such as the Mona Reservoir and the Hermitage Dam, which are still in operation because the NWC has continued to spend time and effort keeping them stable. Even so, he warned that such stop-gap work cannot continue indefinitely.

"It can't go on forever. And so, the NWC has to put itself in a position to make massive investments in its infrastructure," he said.

The prime minister also linked the issue to the ongoing recovery effort after Hurricane Melissa, saying the event highlighted how exposed critical infrastructure can be during a disaster. At the same time, he said it showed the commitment of NWC employees, who were out assessing damage, restoring supply, repairing systems, re-establishing operations and supporting affected communities while many other Jamaicans were trying to secure their own homes and families.

Holness added that the commission is facing a more complicated operating environment as new housing schemes and commercial developments require additional water supply. He said climate change is also worsening the pressure on the system through more frequent droughts, heavy rainfall, flooding and related infrastructure damage.