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Councillors lament water woes as NWC abandon some Clarendon sources

Published:Monday | April 17, 2023 | 12:57 AMOlivia Brown/Gleaner Writer
Uriah Mitchell, councillor of the Rock River division in Clarendon.
Uriah Mitchell, councillor of the Rock River division in Clarendon.

Clarendon councillors have blasted the National Water Commission (NWC) for unsatisfactory service as they questioned the logic behind the abandonment of a water supply in Low Ground near Chapelton.

Devon Johnson, the NWC’s zone team leader, reported during last Thursday’s meeting of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation that the Low Ground water supply and others deemed malfunctioning had been abandoned.

Delano Williams, NWC’s acting corporate public relations manager, later told The Gleaner that the named well was abandoned due to low yield.

Councillor Romaine Morris, of the Mocho division, described news as heartbreaking.

Morris said the situation is compounded by the fact that only about 20 per per of his division had access to water in their pipes.

He charged that given the already existing water woes, it was imperative that NWC implement a short-term plan in the absence of the well.

“We have youngsters and elderly [residents] who are unable to move around and fetch water wherever. They conditioned their lifestyle around piped water in their area for many years, so this change, now, will affect them significantly, and I want to know what will be the short-term plan,” he said.

Uriah Mitchell, who represents the Rock River division, lamented that the NWC’s shortcomings have negatively impacted his work as councillor as several communities in his division, including Simon and Diamond, were yet to get the commodity through their pipes.

“As a councillor, it is unfair. This is 2023, and there are some areas on the main without water, and sometimes mi feel shame because I’m here 20 years as a councillor, and all the beg mi a beg, mi can’t get water to mi citizens,” bemoaned Mitchell.

He criticised the state agency, saying it was able to provide trucks with water to sell to residents but could not give them access to piped water.

Similar sentiments were echoed by the Palmers Cross division councillor, Carlene Benjamin, who said that while it was good that the Hummingbird Meadows – a new National Housing Trust development – had water, it was unfair that areas surrounding it were still without.

“ ... So I would love to know when Birds Hill, Coolie Town, White Marl, and Moores will be getting water,” Benjamin said.

Hampering NWC’s work

Johnson noted the concerns but contended that residents who refuse to pay their bills were hampering NWC’s work.

“The NWC cannot operate, ... giving water 24 hours for the day, and when the time comes for people to bear their responsibility, they are not coming forward,” said Johnson.

He added that one of the most challenging areas re payment compliance was Rocky Point in the southeastern section of Clarendon.

“I don’t know if it’s a cultural problem, but we have some serious challenges in Rocky Point, and we need to collect the money,” emphasised Johnson.

The Rocky Point division is represented by May Pen Mayor Winston Maragh.

Johnson added, however, that the mayor had been working with his team to alleviate the woes.

olivia.brown@gleanerjm.com