$1.5 million vandalism at NWC facility in Clarendon

Thieves continue to target treatment facilities of the National Water Commission (NWC) disrupting service to a wide cross section of customers in Clarendon.   

The NWC says the most recent incident occurred at the Palmetto Pen Pumping Station where the facility was stripped of all electrical wires.   

The NWC says this has forced the shutdown of the pumping station affecting water supply to customers in Rosewell, Sandy Bay, Green Park, Free Town, Green Bottom, Breadnut Bottom, Kennedy Road, and Palmer's Cross.

The communities of Chatteau, Rosewell Road, Cock Pit, Bodles, Sunrise Drive, Rose Hall, Toby Heights, Hartwell Gardens and Merrival Meadows are also being affected.

NWC Maintenance Manager, Billy Meikle, could not indicate when the system would be restored but he says it will cost more than $1.5 million.  

Meikle says in recent years the NWC has spent more than $1 billion replacing equipment that were either stolen or vandalised.