Jamaica signs contract with Miya to prevent water loss

Jamaica has signed a $42.5m contract with Israel based water company Miya to reduce wastage of potable water in the country which has been suffering from a prolonged drought.

Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller expects the five-year deal to bring about ‘significant reduction in water loss’ and improve reliability of water supply to customers around Kingston.

Miller said: "In this period of severe drought we cannot afford to lose one drop of water."

More than 50% of the water produced by the country’s National Water Commission (NWC) is wasted due to leaks and thefts in the Greater Kingston Area.

In the corporate area around the Jamaican capital, nearly 108 million litres per day (28.5 million gallons) of water is lost.

The country has been forced to reduce water supplies which had been affecting many Jamaicans in urban areas. Rural communities in the North American country also face problem in getting piped water supply due to very low water pressure.

Affected communities across the country are being supplied water through trucking.

NWC’s contract with Miya is aimed at boosting its performance and generating more revenue. Jamaica expects $250m as economic benefits from the contract over the five year duration.

The project, which aims to cut water wastage to roughly 20% over the term of the contract, is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank.