Essex Hall residents want water pumping system

Since January, Sonia Fuller, a retired teacher, has been forking out $5,000 every three weeks to pay truckers to bring water to her house.

Fuller lives in Essex Hall in West Rural St Andrew and, about 15 minutes from her house, runs the New River, a tributary of the Rio Cobre. Despite the proximity of this water source, the lack of a pumping system to bring the water into the community leaves many struggling during the yearly drought season.

“It put a strain on the farm, on everything,” the livestock farmer said.

Five years ago, a resident of the community decided to construct a pumping system at the New River which would supply Essex Hall and the neighbouring Lawrence Tavern community with water.

However, John Myers, councillor for the Lawrence Tavern division, said the residents were informed by the National Water Commission (NWC) a project of that nature would need to be done through the commission.

Since then, he said, no progress has been made.

“It is a sore point for me. I am disappointed,” he told The Gleaner.

“That river has never dried, that source is a good source. It can support Constant Spring, it can support other areas. They (NWC) had promised us that they will do the water project and send it to Border, that is how big the thing supposed to be,” he said.

Myers, who has been councillor for that division for five terms, said he has advocated on the residents’ behalf, and has urged the NWC to give immediate attention to the situation.

“I am confused, I am upset and I cya do anymore,” he said.

Fuller is equally upset.

“Dem mek up dat reservoir ting dat we can get water, all now we cya get water. We don’t know what is happening,” she said.

The Gleaner has been trying to get an update on the project from the NWC since last week, but none has been forthcoming.

For some time, Damion Ross has been trucking water to Essex Hall and neighbouring communities. But, even though this is how he makes his livelihood, he said he, too, would like to see a pumping system installed in the area.

“It wudda much benefit dem because it cudda supply all a dis district,” he said. “A just di storage system a our problem because a lot of river runs. So, if we have the storage system, we have water.”

Clifton Reynolds, whose farm is close by the river, said he gave permission for the pipes to go through it.

Expressing disappointment with how the project has stalled, he is hoping that the relevant stakeholders will revamp it.

“It sad, yuh nuh, fi see how much water really going down the river and none nuh deh ya,” he lamented. “Dem neva did haffi go wid no big prestigious nothing, something simple wudda supply di whole area.”

Small pumping system installed

Another disgruntled resident who opted to remain anonymous said a member of the diaspora had installed a small pumping system in the river that supplies some residents of neighbouring communities with water.

In fact, he said some of the persons selling water to residents in Essex Hall get their supply from that same pumping system.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for St Andrew West Rural Juliet Cuthbert Flynn told The Gleaner that she is cognisant of the drought affecting multiple communities in her constituency but is unaware of that particular project.

She said she is awaiting monies to address the issue.

“The Government allocated funds to every member of parliament for funds to be utilised for the drought and, once those funds are available, I will make sure that the communities that are affected will be able to have water trucked to them,” she said.

Last month, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that the government has allocated $150 million in emergency funding to truck water to areas in Jamaica affected by drought conditions.

Holness said the drought has impacted several NWC storage facilities across the island, including 12 in St Andrew.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com