Force residents to collect more water

Edward Morris, Guest Columnist

In response to the recent temporary closure of some schools because of a water crisis, the Rev Ronald Thwaites declared that we mandatorily have to devise strategies to mitigate against this dilemma. The minister suggested that Jamaican schools consider harvesting rainwater to augment their regular public supply. Excellent suggestion, sir!

But please allow me to extend the minister's stratagem a bit further. Are you familiar with the water-collection and storage systems of numerous rural folks? Many communities across Jamaica, even in this modern era, still do not receive piped water. So as you traverse the countryside, you will likely spot water-catchment grids, drums lining the gateways, water tanks of various configurations, and, more recent, the now-famous black plastic tanks, hedged into hillsides, under roof eaves, or perched on platforms. And you can guess - the main source of H2O to these contrivances is not the National Water Commission (NWC), but the heavens. It works!

My uncles from north Manchester have been very successful yam, potato and livestock farmers for the past 60 years, and it is this home-made water-supply system on which they have relied to sustain their homes, farmlands and livestock. So it works for rural, agrarian kinfolk. Any chance it would fit into our modern, plush lifestyles? Sure! All it requires is a slight change of heart on the part of the citizens and the State.

What if residents decided to supply our gardens, toilets (and, possibly, our showers) with rainwater instead of piped water? Are you aware that these three culprits combined generate the majority of our water bill? So all it would take is a bit of creativity. Instead of running one freshwater supply line to all our household outlets, we would run two separate lines - one from the public supply and the other from our storage tank. The tank line would directly supply our toilets, garden faucets and even our showers.

Simple plumbing solution

So this begs the obvious question of what happens when the public supply goes. Any plumber who is worth his salt and knowing anything about one-way valves could easily connect the freshwater line to the tank line without compromising the freshwater. So with the simple turn of a knob, your road water would readily flow to your toilet, shower, etc. without missing a beat.

Here is where the State comes in:

1. How about revisiting our building codes to encourage, even insist, that all new buildings carry secondary water supply lines for the purposes explained above?

2. Launch a public education campaign to promote the value of harvesting rainwater and the economic value it brings. This would also target existing structures that could make the necessary plumbing modifications to achieve the desired results.

3. Commence this new regulation with all new or modified government structures - schools, offices, etc.

4. Apply zero-rated tax to the sale of water tanks and pumps. This would be a meaningful incentive for citizens to get on board.

5. Through the National Housing Trust, offer interest-free loans to bona fide homeowners interested in the rainwater project - with a two-year payback period. My research indicates that J$130,000 could cover the cost of a 1,000-gallon tank, a small water pump (for those who feel they need the pressure), the necessary pipes and fittings, and construction.

Relevant statistics

Just to place all of this into perspective, here are some statistics from the NWC and the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment & Climate Change:

The average Jamaican household spends 2.1 per cent of its income on water services.

A single-family home in Jamaica uses approximately 3,000-5,000 gallons of treated water per month, conservatively.

One toilet flush consumes three gallons of water, a load of laundry uses approximately 40 gallons, and one 10-minute shower takes approximately 50 gallons.

At current rates, a conservative consumer of 5,000 gallons per month, with service charge, PAM and K-factor included, pays approximately $3,876. And since the NWC uses a multi-tiered billing system, the higher your consumption, the higher the charge per gallon. Think of the long-term savings to be realised if your water bill could be cut by half. There are many winners here: the citizens; the NWC, whose transmission and distribution systems would receive some reprieve; the Government, whose oil import bill would be cut; and the general environment.

This will demand a multi-party approach - various ministries, public bodies, the private sector, consumer advocate groups, et al, talking together. Jamaica, let's talk. It might be worth the effort.

Edward Morris is an instructor of business administration at Northern Caribbean University. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and emorris@ncu.edu.jm.