Work on Jamaica’s Port Antonio water, sewerage and drainage project to begin in July

France-based engineering firm, Vinci Construction Grands Projects, is set to begin work on the Port Antonio water supply, sewerage and drainage project in July 2013 in parish Portland, Jamaica.

The project, to be undertaken at a cost of JMD1.83bn ($18.5m), is anticipated to provide sustainable regeneration, rehabilitation and improvement of water and wastewater systems.

The Port Antonio project will include upgrade and construction of water distribution, sewerage, and drainage systems to serve the Portland capital and its surrounding areas.

Vinci Construction will execute the project as well as supervise installation, construction, and repair works.

Under the project, the water section work will include laying 10km of pipelines and replacing and upgrading 1,000 service connections.

The sewerage work will include installing 6km of pipelines and providing 500 new connections and manholes.

Drainage work includes placement of 2km of box and concrete pipe culverts, construction of a retaining wall and drainage channel de-silting and dredging works.

Vinci has plans to begin the preliminary works in June before starting the major project activities.

The Port Antonio water, sewerage, and drainage project will be carried out over 18 months through joint funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the National Water Commission (NWC).

The project is expected to create more than 250 jobs.

Commenting on the project, NWC chairman Leary Myers said that upgrading the infrastructure will provide drinkable water and wastewater management services to its clients.

"On completion of (this) water supply, sewerage and drainage project, Port Antonio and adjoining areas will, at the same time, reap the benefits of a full loop effort to improve water supply while managing the impact that waste generated by human activity and poorly channeled storm flows can have on the vulnerable…environment," Myers added.

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Image: Vinci Construction to begin Port Antonio water, sewerage, and drainage project work in July. Photo: Courtesy of Jamaica Information Service.