NWC rejects claims of unsafe water in Kingston and St Andrew; PNP councillor insists there's a problem

The National Water Commission (NWC) is rejecting claims that its water supply in Kingston and St Andrew (KSA) is unsafe for consumption, declaring that its operations meet the highest safety and quality standards.

It said the response follows suggestions from Opposition People's National Party Councillor Jesse James Clarke, a university lecturer in microbiology and food quality, that the water provided by the NWC in Kingston and St Andrew is unsafe and should be boiled before consumption.

He has defended his concerns, saying his comments are based on the NWC's own test results for rural areas of Kingston and St Andrew.

But, in a statement, the commission said its water is “continually monitored, thoroughly tested and is in full compliance with the guidelines established by the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) and international best practices set by the World Health Organization.”

“The Constant Spring system operates as one of the NWC’s main systems, and its operations are always within the stipulated standards, while the water supplied by the Seaview plant has also been tested and rated as the best-tasting water in the Caribbean for several years," it said in the statement issued late Thursday.

While acknowledging that small rural water systems can pose challenges due to environmental factors, the NWC said it "pays close attention to the potential issues and seeks to address them immediately".

"Notwithstanding the fact that a number of these facilities are remotely located and only serve very small segments of the population (for instance - less than 40 customers in Bowden Hill), the NWC is constantly reviewing its infrastructural designs and seeking to improve its water supply systems where vulnerabilities are identified," the commission said.

The NWC also said advisories should only come from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, which is the body authorised to make such recommendations.

However, Clarke, the councillor for the Trafalgar Division in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation, is standing by his assertions. He is also chairman of the corporation's public health committee.

"It's the NWC's results that are saying that the water is contaminated," Clarke told The Gleaner on Friday. "It's not my results or somewhere I'm pulling water here, it's their results. And this is water from the rural treatment plants.

Clarke said water samples are returning a high number of positive results for faecal coliforms, a type of bacteria that indicates that the water has been contaminated with faeces, which could pose a serious public health concern.

"So, out of the number of samples that you choose to test, you should have less than 5% of your samples coming down positive for fecal coliform. They're having like 27% positive. They know they're having issues," Clarke said.

In its statement, the NWC said the health ministry "has not indicated any concerns with the water provided by the NWC, nor has it issued any advisories recommending that Jamaicans boil their drinking water".

It said the advisory given by Clarke should only come from the health ministry.

"The public is reminded that while the NWC does frequent sampling and testing of water from our sources and plants, the MOHW as regulator also conducts independent tests to ensure that the water provided to Jamaicans is clean, safe and free of harmful contaminants,” the NWC added.

The NWC said consultations between both entities occur regularly. It said the health ministry provides consultation services to the NWC on a regular basis, with a periodic session held in December 2024 and another scheduled to be held "within the next few weeks".

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