Westmoreland school gets water purification system

New Hope Primary School in White House, Westmoreland, recently welcomed a significant addition to its facilities in the form of a major water purification machine.

This new installation was made possible through a partnership with the Sandals Foundation that procured the unit from Sip Water Lifesaver. Acting Principal, Latoya Green-Ruddock, told JIS News that the school community is grateful for the collaboration that enabled the essential facility's provision. She highlighted the critical role it will play, especially during natural disasters, in providing safe drinking water to both the school's students and staff, as well as the residents of White House.

"We have these water-borne diseases, gastroenteritis, natural disasters and all those things. So, in the event we have these emergencies, then we do have safe drinking water for all the members of this [school] and community," she explained. Green-Ruddock informed that the school already has water tanks in place, which made it easier for their donors to install the filtration system. She added that the facility will be connected to the main pipe with a concrete base storage area, ensuring easy access for maintenance.

"The filters are there, and so we can always dismantle and take them out, and clean and replace them. We've also gotten some spare filters that will serve us for quite some time," Green-Ruddock indicated. The school has 416 students and more than 30 members of staff.

President of the school's Parent Teacher Association and a member of the New Hope community, Rodney Lee, expressed deep gratitude to the Sandals Foundation for the new facility, which, he said, will have a significant and positive impact.

"Recognising that this school is one of the emergency [shelter] buildings where, if a disaster should happen, people will be able to be housed here... this effort will assist, especially in [safe drinking] water distribution," Lee.

Sandals Foundation Executive Director, Heidi Clarke, reiterated the importance of installing the machine. She emphasised that the system is designed to remove "99 per cent" of disease-causing germs and contaminants, ensuring that the water is safe for consumption, both on regular school days and during emergencies.