Ground was broken yesterday ( March 14, 2024) for construction to commence on the much-anticipated Rio Cobre Content Water Treatment Plant Project at Content in St. Catherine.
The US$77 million, or JM$12 billion project, is being hailed as a significant development in the effort to boost the water security of several communities within St. Catherine as well as Kingston and St. Andrew (KSA), particularly during times of drought.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness described the project as a “win-win” for the National Water Commission (NWC), its customers, and all of Jamaica, adding that the demand for potable water had increased, as a result of the growth being experienced in the country.
“Within the last 5 decades, the growth of residential, business, and industrial users has resulted in the establishment of several new commercial entities and residential communities in various sections of the KMA which has resulted in a significant increase in the demand for potable water. As the economy continues to grow and with increased climate variability and change, the situation will get worse. A solution therefore had to be found. This project is therefore one of many solutions being implemented across our island”, he explained.
The Prime Minister added that the system will provide an additional 15 million gallons per day (MiGD) to some 150,000 customers or 600,000 residents of Spanish Town and its environs, Old Harbour Road, and Portmore as well as Kingston and St. Andrew, including communities in Western Kingston.
The project involved a Water Purchase Agreement that was signed in November 2022, between the National Water Commission and a Special Purpose Vehicle to be incorporated by, or on behalf of Vinci Construction Grands Projets (VCGP), Eppley Limited, and PanJam Group Limited.
It involves the design, build, finance, operate, maintain, and transfer of a 15 Million Imperial Gallon a day Water Treatment Plant, and will constitute two years to build the plant plus a further 23-year arrangement for the Project team to operate and maintain the system.
Prime Minister Holness outlined the scope of work on the project.
“The Scope of Works entails the construction of an intake system inclusive of lift pumps (duty and back up pumps); the construction of a conveyance pipeline from the river (Rio Cobre) to the Treatment Plant; the construction of the 15 MGD capacity treatment plant, and the interconnection to the NWC’s distribution network”.
Upon completion, the project will also result in better resilience in the water sector during periods of drought and will reduce the need for the trucking of water, as well as the need for water restrictions to affected areas during periods of drought.
Meanwhile, Minister without Portfolio Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda in his remarks, stated that the project is a critical one, in the face of the impacts of climate change including drought, as well as shifting weather patterns.
“From October 2022 to March 2023, Jamaica experienced its worst drought ever. In the heights of that drought in February KSA received 8 percent of its 30-year average of rainfall…During that drought, KSA was short 12.5 million gallons daily… therefore the Government is investing at an unprecedented rate in the country’s water infrastructure.”
He noted that the Content Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant is a major milestone in the history and development of Jamaica and there are many more projects to come on stream, which will show that it is possible to make Jamaica water resilient.
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