NWC, NWA partner to repair infrastructure in St. Andrew

The National Water Commission (NWC) has said it is partnering with the National Works Agency (NWA) on several infrastructure projects including replacing two water transmission pipelines between Ferry and Six Miles in St. Andrew.
   
It said these critical pieces of infrastructure supply water to several communities in St. Catherine as well as a large section of the Corporate Area, including the industrial belt.    
     
Over the last few weeks, the water supply main broke on two occasions resulting in the disruption of water supply and major traffic delays.
   
The NWC said based on the design height of the roadway, as well as the project schedule, these main replacements will not be undertaken at this time.
   
It said the replacement pipes have been designed to be installed on specially constructed beams, rather than underground.

According to the public bodies report tabled in the House of Representatives, the project will cost $2.5 billion of the $9 billion budget for capital projects during the  2017/2018 financial year.
  
Another 1.7 billion will be spent on the Kingston Metropolitan Area Water Supply Improvement Project as well as $1.4 billion for K-Factor water and sewerage projects.
  
The report said the NWC will continue the implementation of business strategies and capital projects that are expected to reduce non-revenue water, achieve energy and other efficiency targets as well contain operating costs and enhance revenues.

Non-revenue water

Meanwhile, the NWC is targeting to reduce non-revenue water in the Kingston and St. Andrew region from 59 per cent to 30 per cent in the next four years.
   
It will also seek to implement similar programmes outside the region.
   
The Water Commission is carrying out the Kingston and St. Andrew non revenue water reduction programme under a co-management arrangement with MIYA, an international water efficiency entity with headquarters in Israel.
   
The NWC said revenue enhancement initiatives will be implemented including the reactivation of accounts, increased customer base and the expansion of the illegal user regularisation programme.