Over 5,000 residents of several communities in East Central St. James will experience improvements to their water supply thanks to a $169.2 million project executed by the Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) and the National Water Commission (NWC). The project is Phase 1 of the Canaan-Adelphi Water Supply System, which is being upgraded by the NWC at a cost of $869 million, to improve supply to the ever-growing communities in the area. Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda commissioned the first phase of the project yesterday (December 14, 2023).This phase involved the construction of a 300,000-gallon tank at Cedar Hill; the installation of three (3) new pumps at the Canaan Deep-well site; and the installation of 500 meters of 400 mm pipeline from the old tank site to the new tank site in Cedar Hill by Rural Water Supply Limited at a cost of $149 million.“The project is $149 million invested in the people of East Central St. James, because ‘water is life’ and we say that lightly. But the development prospects of any community are based on water availability, so this is an investment, a true investment in the future of this area”, the Minister noted. An additional $20 million was expended by the NWC, for the installation of 4-inch and 2-inch pipelines from Cedar Hill to Somerton. The benefits of the project include more energy-efficient pumps that will result in increased water production with less pumping time, thereby improving operational efficiency, energy consumption, and sustainable pressure levels. In addition, the 300,000-gallon bolted steel tank will assist in ensuring that adequate storage capacity is on the system to provide water in the event of power cuts or service disruption in the pipeline. Meanwhile, Minister Samuda noted that the NWC was experiencing the first surplus in its history which gave it the fiscal space to invest in projects such as the Canaan-Adelphi Water Supply. “We hope this gives you the confidence to understand that when we do commit to spending on the next phase as a part of the J$869 million (investment), that it is coming, that every couple of months we will have an updated report, and that the situation will ease”, he said. Minister Samuda expressed appreciation to the residents for their patience and support during the execution of the Cedar Hill Tank project. “We are here to serve you better with an improved water supply. Although these projects take time, they are guaranteed to provide you with sustainable water access”, he stated. For his part, Member of Parliament for East Central St. James, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, expressed his thanks to the Prime Minister, Minister Samuda, the Tourism Enhancement Fund which provided a grant towards improvements to the Canaan-Adelphi Water Supply system, as well as the executing agencies on the project, the NWC and RWSL. The project, when completed, will be able to service approximately 40,000 people up to its designed life, which is 2053.
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