600 households across seven communities in St. Ann are now enjoying improved access to drinking water following the commissioning of a new 50,000-gallon storage tank on Thursday (February 23).

The $17-million glass-fused-to-steel bolted tank, located in Liberty district, replaces an old 20,000-gallon capacity metal structure that had deteriorated.

The project, which also involved installing new interconnecting pipelines, has greatly improved the reliability and quality of water supplied to the communities, including elevated areas, and reduced energy consumption on the National Water Commission (NWC) network. The communities that stand to benefit from the new water tank are Liberty, Roadside, New Banks, Tanglewood, Lewis, Coolshade Housing Scheme, and Hartland.

Senator Matthew Samuda, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, who commissioned the tank into service, said that the facility has doubled secondary storage capacity for the people of Liberty and its environs. He further noted that the new water tank is part of a larger $600 million investment project that aims to improve secondary storage across the country.

“These milestones are important nationally because it is a recognition that the money being paid to NWC for water bills is being reinvested in your infrastructure,” said Samuda who urged the residents to take care of the system and to encourage those who benefit from it to pay the bills on time.

Kevin Kerr, NWC’s Vice President of Operations, said the tank’s commissioning is in keeping with the agency’s commitment to providing reliable and quality service to Jamaicans.

He noted that the savings from the project will be used to provide more reliable pumps and standby generators, and install renewable energy systems, so “we can be more efficient in serving you”.

Paulette Scott, a resident of Liberty district, welcomed the new tank, noting that the beneficiary communities are experiencing a more reliable water supply. The project is a significant achievement that demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensuring that Jamaicans have access to a reliable and quality water supply.