Jamaica Invests in Water Supply Improvement Projects

Jamaica plans to invest more than $1.5bn in 2010-11 to improve water supplies by increasing the taps percentage in households to 98% from 90% in urban areas and to 65% from 45% in rural areas.

The government will focus on improving water supplies on the South Coast, including Kingston Metropolitan Area, St Andrew, Greater Spanish Town and South East St Catherine as well as rural areas.

The projects include cleaning and revamping groundwater wells, upgrading water treatment plants, renovating storage tanks and replacing 19km of leaking and encrusted distribution pipes.

As well as improving water supply in urban centres, the projects will also benefit six rural areas across the country, where water supply shortages have become critical because of drought conditions.