Electrical issue affecting water supply in northern St Elizabeth

SILOAH, St Elizabeth — In response to complaints, the National Water Commission (NWC) has said that efforts are being made to correct the “current disruption” of water supply to communities in northern St Elizabeth “as soon as possible”.

The water provider said the problem is “due to an electrical issue” at their “Siloah facility”.

The NWC said “areas affected include Union, Raheen Housing Scheme, Marlborough, Russell Hill, Comfort Hall, Ever Green, Mount Pleasant, Lineside, Appleton Housing Scheme, Oxford, Paul Mountain and Content”.

The NWC statement followed complaints from councillor for the Siloah Division, Audie Myers, relayed by this newspaper to the NWC’S public relations manager, Andrew Cannon, about several communities in the Siloah area. Myers told the Jamaica

Observer that people most affected by the loss of piped water include those in “offmain” sections of Windsor, Thornton, Siloah, Aberdeen and Williamsfield. The communities identified by Myers were not named by the NWC.

“Only people close to the main road getting water,” Myers said. “We can’t have a situation like this, especially in this COVID time where we are asking people to frequently wash and sanitise... it is not fair...” he said.

The NWC statement said: “The company’s maintenance team is working to have the matter resolved as soon as possible.

NWC regrets any inconvenience caused and craves the patience and understanding of its valued customers.”

Myers had told the Observer he believed cost-saving, scheduled, daily water lockoffs between

5:00 pm and 2:00 am for NWC customers in the Siloah Division, may be related to the problem.