博客

Residents across multiple neighborhoods in Jamaica’s Greater Mandeville region are poised to gain consistent, efficient access to drinking water after the official launch of the Hopeton Road to Waltham Road Pipeline Project, a J$123.8 million infrastructure upgrade that targets longstanding local water supply challenges.

As announced in an official statement released by Jamaica’s Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change this past Thursday, the National Water Commission (NWC) carried out the construction work as a core component of the broader Greater Mandeville Water Supply Improvement Programme. The initiative forms part of a national strategy to update Jamaica’s aging water network, boost service reliability for customers, and reinforce nationwide water security.

The project centered on replacing an outdated 16-inch asbestos cement transmission main that had far outlasted its designed operational lifespan. The deteriorating old pipe was a major source of unaccounted-for water loss across the distribution network, leaving many local households with irregular access to supply. In its place, crews installed 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) of 400mm ductile iron transmission pipeline, alongside new control valves and complementary supporting infrastructure to ensure long-term functionality.

Following the upgrade, an estimated 1,300 households spanning Hopeton, Waltham, Perth, Bromfield Street, Airey Mount, Manchester Road, May Day, Woodlawn Road and their surrounding communities will see improved water delivery, translating to better service for roughly 5,200 total residents.

Addressing attendees at the official commissioning ceremony, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda emphasized that this investment is just one of many targeted interventions to resolve decades of water access issues in the parish of Manchester. “Over the last four years, the Government has invested approximately J$2.5 billion in upgrading the Greater Mandeville Water Supply System. This project is one important link in that chain of investments and will improve service to more than 5,000 residents. We are now approaching the point where communities will begin to experience the full benefit of these investments and the improved reliability they were designed to deliver,” Samuda said.

Mikael Phillips, Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western, publicly welcomed the project’s completion and praised all teams involved in its delivery. “Residents have been waiting for improvements to the Greater Mandeville Water Supply System for many years, and today’s commissioning represents meaningful progress. I commend the NWC team, the engineers and the contractors for successfully delivering this project, which will improve water service and quality of life for communities across the area,” Phillips noted.

Rhoda Crawford, Member of Parliament for Manchester Central, was unable to attend the event in person, and was represented by Sally Porteous, the Custos of Manchester. Porteous echoed the widespread support for the upgrade, framing it as a transformative milestone for local communities that have endured unreliable water access for generations.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s state-owned National Housing Trust (NHT) has issued an urgent public alert, calling on residents to stay on high alert after the organization uncovered a growing wave of fraudulent social media profiles impersonating its brand. These fake accounts are actively luring vulnerable home seekers by advertising supposedly discounted NHT-developed properties for private sale, a scheme the trust has never authorized.

In an official statement released to the public this Thursday, the NHT emphasized a core, long-standing policy that consumers must remember: the agency never sells its affordable housing stock through any social media platform. All NHT housing allocation processes follow strict, transparent regulatory frameworks and internal protocols designed to ensure fair access for eligible contributors to the scheme. Any contributor seeking an NHT property must complete their application exclusively through the agency’s official, vetted application channels, the statement clarified.

Beyond warning the public of the scam, the NHT is urging all Jamaicans to take proactive steps to verify the legitimacy of any social media page, direct message, or promotional advertisement that claims affiliation with the organization before disclosing any personal or financial information. Scammers behind these fake accounts often target prospective home buyers to steal sensitive data or collect fraudulent down payments, putting victims at severe financial risk.

The trust also called for collective public action to curb the scam: anyone who encounters these fraudulent accounts or misleading advertisements is requested to report the activity to the relevant platforms and the NHT immediately. According to the agency’s update, its internal teams are already actively monitoring social media spaces to track down these unauthorized operations. The NHT is also working through formal, appropriate regulatory and platform channels to remove the fake accounts and put a stop to the improper use of its official name and registered branding.

For accurate, up-to-date information on NHT housing developments, housing products, and public services, the agency reminded residents that only information posted on its official website and other pre-approved authorized communication channels can be confirmed as legitimate.

ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Officials launched a critical water infrastructure improvement initiative this week, breaking ground on the long-awaited $148 million Santa Cruz By-pass Mains Replacement Project, a core component of the broader Santa Cruz Water Supply Improvement Programme led by the National Water Commission (NWC).

For more than half a century, the region has relied on an outdated three-inch cast iron pipeline laid in the 1970s—an asset that has long exceeded its projected service life. Under the new project, this aging network will be replaced with a robust six-inch ductile iron main built to deliver decades of reliable service. When construction wraps up in November 2026, the upgrade is projected to transform water access for roughly 1,200 individual customers, representing around 300 households across the Santa Cruz By-pass corridor and adjacent communities including New River, Brighton, Friendship Street, and Doctor Rock. Key improvements will include more consistent water flow, stronger overall system integrity, and increased water pressure across the entire service area.

Attending the official groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday was Matthew Samuda, Jamaica’s Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, who framed the project as a foundational investment in the region’s future. “The Santa Cruz pipes, laid in the 1970s, are simply past their useful life,” Samuda told attendees. “Today is a major milestone for a project that matters to the future of Santa Cruz. We are investing just under $150 million in your water supply, and I want to assure you that the contractors will ensure you have a Merry Christmas in this area once the project is completed.”

NWC Project Engineer Neville Green explained the technical and operational benefits of the upgrade, noting that the larger, more durable ductile iron pipeline will eliminate the frequent pipe bursts that have long disrupted service. “Installing the durable six-inch ductile iron pipeline will allow us to safely increase system pressure and optimise distribution without recurring bursts,” Green said. “This upgrade will drastically reduce Non-Revenue Water losses, ensuring that the water treated by NWC reaches consumers’ taps rather than leaking into the ground.”

To address community concerns about construction disruption, the NWC has committed to fully repaving affected road segments once pipeline installation is complete, restoring full, smooth access for local motorists and pedestrians.

Samuda also used the event to respond to recent public scrutiny of the NWC’s capital budget implementation, offering new transparency into the commission’s fiscal performance. He confirmed that the NWC spent 94% of its allocated capital budget in the last fiscal year, with the remaining 6% disbursed in April this year. The delay in releasing those remaining funds was tied to after-effects of Hurricane Melissa, he added. Samuda also noted that a recent independent performance audit turned up no allegations of mismanagement or corruption, and that the NWC has already moved forward with implementing all operational and management recommendations put forward by auditors.