The water issues that the residents of Wentworth in St. Mary have faced for several years, will soon be a thing of the past, as the $40 million Wentworth Water Supply Project is almost complete.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, visited the community on August 22, 2024, to get a first-hand look at the pressure testing of the newly constructed pipeline.

“We are very happy to see the work near completion especially for back to school. It will be a lot easier for parents to get their children (ready) early in the morning.  So, it was very important for us to get (the work) done very quickly”, the Minister stated.

Minister Samuda further noted that the water supply system would serve to build resilience in the community and the parish, especially during periods of drought.

“Each year, we know that by February there will be a dry period.   This sort of infrastructure protects and builds resilience in communities and makes it a little easier for them to be able to deal with the drought. We are actively working on two other major projects which will significantly increase the source water for St. Mary on the easternmost end, by way of the Jordan Run Wells, and the other by way of the upgrade of the White River Treatment Plant”, he explained.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Western St. Mary, Robert Montague, welcomed the project, noting that it would supplement the water supply in an area that is growing.

“This is indeed a historic day because the community had outgrown the infrastructure.  They had an undersized pipe coming up to serve the community and as people built further down on the hill it took away the pressure to get the water up on the hill.  This investment is now allowing the last point in the community to get water”, he stated.

Work on the project was carried out by the National Water Commission (NWC) and the Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) and included the construction of a pump house and tank base; installation of duty and standby pumps; and the installation of sump and storage tanks.

The work also comprised the installation of 1500 metres of four-inch and two-inch galvanized iron pumping distribution mains, as well as the installation of 304 metres of four-inch PVC pipelines.

The project will serve approximately 500 people in Wentworth St. Mary.