Severe water restrictions

The Hermitage Dam in St Andrew. Diminishing water supplies has forced the National Water Commission to issue restrictions to a number of Corporate Area communities. – File

STARTING TOMORROW, Corporate Area customers of the National Water Commission (NWC) served by the Mona and Hope water-treatment plants will have their daily water supply further rationed.

In a press release issued yesterday, the NWC stated that the decision to implement this tighter restriction forms part of the company's "ongoing water-management measures to combat the prevailing drought conditions affecting a number of water-supply systems mainly in the southern parishes of the island".

In describing the problem, Michael Dunn, NWC vice-president, said the dwindling inflows were not sufficient to meet the daily needs of all the customers to be served, or to operate the systems at their normal levels.

The communities to be affected include Karachi, Long Mountain, Mountain View, Liguanea, Mona Heights, August Town, Old Hope Road, Cross Roads, Hope Road.

Beginning tomorrow, some of the areas to be affected will receive water every other day for eight hours per day. The first four hours will start at 4 a.m., while the second and final spell will get under way at 4 p.m.

Other communities, such as Gordon Town, Tavern, Kintyre and Hope Flats, will start receiving water once per week. Those residents will get the vital commodity on Thursdays.

The NWC also said the Mona and Hope treatment plants would continue to be shut down each night from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., while the Constant Spring Treatment plant would continue to be shut down every day from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m.

"Customers in the areas of Lower Jacks Hill, Cherry Gardens, Barbican and sections of Millsborough who are served by the Constant Spring system will receive water daily between the hours of 4 a.m. and 2 p.m.," read another section of the release.

location and elevation

The NWC also explained that "depending on their location, elevation, distribution and the customer demand in a particular area, some customers will experience no-water conditions or low water pressure even during the hours that the water facilities are putting out all the water they have available".