NWC loses 108m litres to leaks and theft daily, Gov't signs $4.5b contract to help stem loss

Amid the adverse drought conditions across the island, the government today signed a $4.5 billion contract that will seek to reduce by more than half, the amount of water produced by the National Water Commission (NWC) that is lost to leaks and theft.

Figures provided by the NWC show that 108 million litres or 53 per cent of the water it produces daily is lost to leaks and theft.

Speaking at the contract signing at Jamaica House a short while ago, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said the situation cannot continue.

She says as part of the contract, measures will be put in place to stem this loss.

Simpson Miller says under the contract with the Israeli firm Miya it is projected that in the first two years water lost to leaks and theft would be reduced to 37 per cent and 20 per cent in the last year of the five-year contract period.

The prime minister says the company would only be paid if the targets are met.

According to her, the NWC should see benefits totaling $29.2 billion at the end of the contract.