Mixed reaction from residents on Queen of Spain Valley water plans

Residents in East Central St James have expressed mixed views on the National Water Commission's (NWC) recent assurance that they will receive water from the Queen of Spain Valley while the agency upgrades its Canaan facility.

Last month, the NWC issued a notice that rehabilitation work would begin on July 24 at its Canaan facility, which normally supplies water to Adelphi, Chatham, Content, Somerton, Dumfries, and other surrounding communities in East Central St James.

Teisha-Ann Pinnock, community relations manager for the NWC's western region, subsequently said that water would be sourced from the Queen of Spain Valley during the restoration work at Canaan.

"The well is expected to be back in operation on August 24."

Dwight Johnson, a resident of Chatham, lauded the initiative as convenient for persons who cannot afford to buy water.

"The water pressure is not always high enough to reach my yard, but this initiative is an intelligent decision because persons who cannot afford to buy water have to rely on the water line," said Johnson.

By contrast, Content farmer Jerry Warner said water should be trucked to the affected communities.

"Each government minister is supposed to truck water in the area, and we're not seeing that here. It's just a drip you're getting in the pipe, and I had to pay J$2,000 for a truckload of water," Warner complained.

Edmund Bartlett, the member of parliament for East Central St James, had previously announced that affected residents would continue getting water for the duration of the $900 million restoration project at Canaan.