The water issues experienced by the 1000 residents of the rural district of Orangefield in Northwest St. Catherine are now behind them, with the commissioning on Friday December 20, 2024, of the Orangefield Water Improvement Project.

In commissioning the project, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda M.P., who has portfolio responsibility for water, noted that water projects like Orangefield can transform lives.

“The NWC, for two years running, has been able to make a surplus that has facilitated the investment of over $130 million between Jericho and Orangefield’s system. The NWC has invested in your comfort, in your standard of living in your land value, and in your future”, he noted.

Minister Samuda continued that the Government is investing in ensuring that potable water reaches every Jamaican, adding that no area nor parish is being left out. He stated that the NWC is midway in 42 small projects similar to the works at Orangefield.

“We are proud of that because 42 works of this nature from the Water Commission is a big deal. At no point in memory has the NWC been able to take on 42 of these types of projects simultaneously and that is because of good leadership. So, whereas we are transforming our ability to supply, we are also working to transform our finances.   When that transformation takes place, the dividends are going to be paid to those in rural Jamaica who do not have reliable water”, he stated.

In addition, Minister Samuda noted that Rural Water Supply Limited is investing close to J$1 billion into rural communities that have waited for decades to get water.

“This is the single largest investment in rural water systems in the country’s history and we are proud of that, and we are not going to resile from the fact that we are investing at an unprecedented rate”, he stated.

The Orangefield Water Improvement Project, involved the excavation and laying of approximately 0.15km of 6” PVC and 0.65km of 8” PVC pipelines from the Orangefield Primary School to the turn-off point at the Orangefield Square.