NWC reduces loss in potable water during transmission.
THE NATIONAL Water Commission (NWC) is reporting a marked reduction in the amount of potable water lost during transmission since hiring Miya Water Company from Israel to help tackle the problem.
“So far, we have definitely seen improvements. The number of leaks have reduced significantly in the Cherry Gardens, Norbrook and Barbican areas. We’ve had a lot of work done in the Smokey Vale and Perkins Boulevard areas in Kingston,” president of the NWC, Mark Barnett, said.
The US$42.5-million Non-Revenue Water ( NRW ) Co-Management Project, which is being implemented through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, aims to strengthen the institutional capacity of the NWC in order to improve its performance and maximise t he collection of income for the water it produces.
It involves an audit of the NWC network to determine the precise situation with regard to NRW and how best to reduce these figures to about 30 per cent within the fifth year of the project.
Barnett said despite the disruptions being experienced by its customers, the activities being carried out by the NWC are primarily for their benefit.
“The NRW activities are here to improve our system. But it will get worse before it gets better. We’re still going to be digging up the roads, there’s no way around it. The other thing is with the many road resur facings that have been carried out, a lot of the valves that are critical to the network have been asphalted over. So, you will see us digging up intersections because that’s where most of the valves are located,” he pointed out.
The president said that discussions will be held with the National Works Agency to ensure that its contractors avoid covering these valves going forward.
He noted that the work of Miya has resulted in a reduction of non-revenue water of up to 50 percent in some district metering zones.
Country Manager of Miya Water Company Alvaro Ramalho said that the company has an international footprint in Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean doing non-revenue water projects for several companies.
The partnership agreement with Miya Water Company is expected to end in 2020.