Drought affected areas to receive trucked water

The Government will be spending $150 million, approved by Cabinet, to truck water to communities most impacted by drought.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, said $40 million of the sum will be allocated immediately. He advised that the beneficiary parishes are Manchester, Westmoreland, Clarendon, St Elizabeth, Portland Eastern and St Thomas Eastern, adding that the trucking programme will be overseen by the municipal corporations.

"We will be making those transfers [of funds] through the Ministry of Local Government [and Community Development] from the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation this week. This will allow members of parliament and councillors to immediately respond to those most in need, and this is the first of many other steps," he stated, during Wednesday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

Samuda informed that 23 National Water Commission (NWC) systems are experiencing intake shortfalls, equating to five per cent of these facilities. These, he added, are now being regulated. They, however, do not include the Hermitage Dam and Mona Reservoir, which serve the Corporate Area.

"As at February 13, the Hermitage Dam was at 89 per cent [of capacity] while the Mona Reservoir was at 98 per cent," he indicated. Samuda also said the Government plans to commence distributing 10,000 water tanks over the upcoming weekend.

Jamaica is experiencing a meteorological drought, which occurs when dry weather patterns dominate an area.