The recent increase in rainfall has resulted in increased inflows to many National Water Commission (NWC) sources across the island, but the island is not yet out of the woods in terms of the drought.
 
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator, the Hon. Matthew Samuda, in updating Friday’s (October 13) sitting of the Senate on the drought situation, noted that the figures as of Thursday, October 12, 2023, indicated that the recent rainfall had resulted in increased inflows to some systems
 
“We have seen some turnaround because of increased rainfall in St. Thomas and certainly in the Blue Mountains. The Mona Reservoir is back at 78.5 percent. The Hermitage Dam is now operating at 100 percent. So we are starting to see a reduction in pressure on the NWC and its varying systems. As a result of that, and because the inflows in many cases are now exceeding the outflows,  the NWC as at last week Friday was able to remove the prohibition orders”.
 
Minister Samuda added that although the prohibition orders are lifted,  restrictions will remain in place, particularly for the Mona Reservoir which will need to reach 80 percent of storage capacity before restrictions can be lifted.
 
Despite the “light at the end of the tunnel” for Kingston and St. Andrew, Minister Samuda pointed out that other systems are still experiencing inflows that are significantly below their normal levels, particularly in the Eastern Parishes of St. Mary and Portland.
 
As such, the Minister noted that the Government, through the NWC, continues to closely monitor and manage the water supply situation across the island.
 
The Minister added that measures were being put in place to mitigate the effects of drought in the future. 
 
“There are many steps that we will take in coming years, to ensure that this discussion is not the same discussion happening in 2030.  I’ve outlined some of the major investments that will deal with the eastern end of the island that is the Content Water System for 15 million gallons a day.  Now I could get into more specific smaller ones, but to note even with the current drought which has been the worst Kingston and St. Andrew has ever experienced, the shortfall was less than 12 million gallons a day”.
 
Minister Samuda said although the island was experiencing some rainfall, the sporadic nature of the rainfall meant that even when restrictions are lifted, citizens should make efforts to conserve their use of water.

-30-