KINGSTON, Jamaica— The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), through its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme, on Friday donated 30 2,850 gallon water storage tanks to the Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), strengthening emergency response and long term water resilience in Jamaica.

Valued at approximately $10.5 million, the donation is a direct response to the urgent need for reliable water storage following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, which severely disrupted access to potable water in rural and vulnerable communities across the island.

The tanks will be integrated into rural water supply systems and community catchment areas, including the Maybole Water Facility in St Elizabeth, Lapland Water Facility in St James, and Mother Fleure Water Facility in Manchester. Additional units will be deployed to newly established community water storage centers in the parishes of Manchester and Hanover.