Community standpipe installed in Zion Hill, St Andrew

Residents of Zion Hill in rural St Andrew now have access to a community standpipe.

The National Water Commission (NWC) says the system was recently installed and will improve access to water supply for residents.

In July, upset by the lack of water in the area, then People's National Party caretaker Jennifer Housen and a resident attempted to set up a community standpipe which would be supplied from the resident's NWC water main.

But, the utility company intervened.

The NWC, in a statement today, said it reviewed the possible options and has since determined and installed a water supply connection for which the residents will take responsibility for the monthly charges.

Full Statement 

The NWC recently installed a standpipe in the Zion Hill that is intended to improve access to water supply for residents based in the Zion Hill area in West Rural St Andrew.

The NWC took this decision following series of direct representation from Member of Parliament for the West Rural St Andrew Constituency, Mrs Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn who initiated discussions with the NWC regarding the challenges in the area and appeal for help in finding a solution. 

The current plight of the residents was further emphasised by residents of Zion Hill who participated in the OUR Tariff Consultation held at the Meadowbrook High School in St Andrew on October 30, 2018. 

The NWC, since the initial representation by the Member of Parliament, reviewed the possible options to providing access to the community and has since determined and installed a water supply connection for which the residents will take responsibility for the monthly charges.

The Zion Hill community is among several rural Communities that are served by seasonal water sources which experience periods of low yields, especially during the annual dry periods.

In recognising the challenges this shortfall poses, the NWC has been employing the use of Wayside tanks, the filling of existing tanks and other short-term measures to bring relief to areas that do not have reliable sources or adequate infrastructure for piped supply. 

Vice President for Divisional Operations – Eastern, Mr Michael Dunn noted that the ideal situation is where every customer has individual supplies, however, in this particular case; the constraints required the NWC to find an immediate short term but practical solution. 

For the longer term solutions, it is the NWC’s plan to improve water supply to the Red Hills area by accessing water from the Ferry Water Supply System, which is intended to improve the reliability to the general area as well as to spur the residential developments which have delayed for some time now due to the insufficiency of water in the area.

The NWC is well advanced with this plan and recently signed a consultancy contract with Cole Engineering Limited to Design the Ferry to Red Hills Water supply system. It is our expectation that these designs will be completed on schedule by mid-2019.

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