Thieves steal transformers at NWC facility in Portmore - Several communities without water

The National Water Commission (NWC) is reporting that on the weekend, thieves stole three Jamaica Public Service Company transformers that are connected to its Goshen Pen Water Supply System in Portmore, St Catherine.

The NWC said this resulted in the disruption of piped water to several sections of the municipality.

Areas affected include Greater Portmore, Naggo Head, Old Braeton, Congreve Park, Silverstone, Portmore Pines, Monza, West Cumberland, Daytona, and Ascot.

The NWC said the brazen theft of the essential electrical components is particularly crippling, as seven other transformers were recently stolen from its Government Park Well # 2 facility, also in Portmore, and connected to the Goshen Pen System.

The commission said those transformers have not yet been replaced.

It said the theft of the 10 electrical transformers in two weeks has effectively denied the commission of access to approximately four million gallons of daily water production capacity and disrupted service to thousands of customers.

The NWC said it is investigating the thefts and that arrangements are being made to have the stolen transformers replaced and security measures implemented in the shortest possible time.