Holness assures of sustainability of $77M Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant
Published:Wednesday | May 21, 2025 | 9:01 PM
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering improved water infrastructure through the construction of the US$77 million Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant in Content, St Catherine.
Speaking during a tour of the site on Wednesday, Holness said the project, which is being developed through a public-private partnership (PPP), will be long-lasting and transformative.
"Up to 25 years we will have a brand new plant, essentially because the contract that we have with our private partners requires that the plant is maintained up to the point where its useful life is extended," he explained.
Construction is currently under way, with excavation activities in progress.
Holness said he was reassured by builders about the plant’s durability. "I was assured by the contractors, the builders, that essentially you have this plant for a lifetime... It will be there for a long time. So this is win-win for everyone and hopefully we will be able to build out water infrastructure using PPP models," he told reporters.
He noted that few countries in the region have implemented PPPs in the water sector, making this project a milestone for Jamaica. "So Jamaica is indeed very pleased to have our economy reach a stage where we can actually engage in national projects."
"But fundamentally whilst we are happy about the financial arrangements and the institutional arrangements for our economy, we are much more pleased that we will be able to provide water to the people of Portmore the new parish to be, and the greater areas in St Catherine, Spanish Town in particular, and to Kingston and St Andrew."
Once operational, the plant is expected to relieve pressure on the ageing Hermitage Dam, which cannot currently be taken offline for repairs. Holness also highlighted that overused wells in St Catherine will be allowed time to recover.
"We will have the excess capacity in the event of any critical droughts that may happen," he added.
The facility is expected to be completed within two years and will be managed by the National Water Commission and Rio Cobre Water Limited under the PPP model. It is Jamaica’s second-largest water treatment project and will supply 15.5 million gallons of water daily to over 600,000 residents.
"This project has been a long time coming," Member of Parliament for St Catherine North Central, Natalie Neita Garvey, said. "I am still very unsure why it is that we continue to take so long to make something happen, but I'm very happy that we have gotten to the place where we can provide additional water supply to so many other communities that are suffering."
She emphasised that nearby communities, including Sligoville, still face severe water shortages.
"I have been promised this so many times that I don't know what to believe any more, but it is still my prayer on behalf of the people I represent that this will also be a meaningful increase in their water supply," Neita Garvey added.
- Ruddy Mathison
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