Jamaica: Construction of Water Treatment Plant Monitored

March 28, 2024 Hour: 4:21 pm

On Thursday, the Office of Public Utilities Regulation of Jamaicaa announced that it will closely monitor the Copper River Water Treatment Plant project in Content, St Catherine.

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The goal is to ensure that customers get the best possible rates, said Ansord E. Hewitt, general manager of the Bureau. Earlier this month, construction began on the project, which is expected to benefit 600,000 National Water Commission customers.

“This is a necessary and vital project,” he said, asserting that the project may have been subject to financing at a time when interest rates are high.

Aside from the financial cost, there is the question of capital and technology, if the best combination of technology is used, he told The Gleaner.

“The other big cost would be the chemical treatment of the water. We want to make sure it’s aligned with the benchmark, which is reasonable for the environment,” he added.

One hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) households or approximately six hundred thousand (600,000) persons are set to benefit from the Rio Cobre Content Water Treatment Plant Project.
#GroundBreaking #ReliableWaterSupply #WaterWatchWednesday pic.twitter.com/uxcwpQBQE4

— NWC Jamaica (@NWCjam)
March 20, 2024

The Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant is expected to be completed within two years, followed by a 23-year operation period by private partners under a public-private partnership agreement.

Hewitt noted that this agreement should provide some degree of cost flexibility for customers should interest rates fall.

Recently, Jamaica’s Minister of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s water infrastructure.

He assured that investment in the sector is occurring at an “unprecedented pace,” CANN, a media channel that presents news and current affairs from and about the Caribbean, noted.

In a recent speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Copper River Water Treatment Plant Project in St. Catherine, Samuda described the ambitious scope of the government’s initiatives.

The investments cover all corners of Jamaica, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to addressing water-related challenges throughout the country.

The objective of the project is to treat water from the Copper River, pump it into the newly replaced water pipeline and transport the treated water to Kingston & St. Andrew, Portmore and Spanish Town in Jamaica to reduce the deficit of this resource.

It seeks to replace the old water pipeline, build new treatment facilities and manage them with proper maintenance to treat 15 million imperial gallons per day of raw water.