Matthew Samuda Warns of Tighter Jamaica Water Restrictions as Drought Deepens

Residents of Frontier Heights Phase 2 in St Mary say they have gone years without piped water, forcing them to buy trucked water at high cost as Jamaica’s drought deepens. Community leaders blame delays involving the National Water Commission and the Housing Association of Jamaica, and are urging officials to fix the supply.

The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation has said it will not approve events that use National Water Commission water for recreation while drought restrictions remain in place. The decision comes as reservoir levels stay low and residents face regulated water supply, with officials urging promoters to prove any privately sourced water and to avoid insensitive use during the shortage.

Despite recent rain in Kingston and St Andrew, the National Water Commission says reservoir storage is still far below last year’s levels, with Mona at 36.3% and Hermitage Dam at 44.9% as of October 11. The NWC says water restrictions will remain in place because the showers only briefly slowed the decline in storage.

Despite recent rains in the Corporate Area, the National Water Commission says storage at the Mona Reservoir and Hermitage Dam remains too low to lift water restrictions. As of October 11, Mona was at 36.3% and Hermitage at 44.9%, so regulated supply schedules will continue while the NWC monitors recovery and urges conservation.

Heavy rain over Kingston and St Andrew on Friday brought some relief to Jamaica’s drought-stricken water systems, lifting levels at the Mona Reservoir and Hermitage Dam. But Water Minister Matthew Samuda said it was far from enough, with 106 systems still affected and water restrictions remaining in place as officials monitor more forecast rainfall next week.

Water levels have improved at two major NWC storage facilities in the Corporate Area after recent drought conditions. Mona Reservoir rose 7.4 percentage points to 33.9%, while Hermitage Dam increased 9.0 points to 43.1%, offering some relief for water supply in Kingston and nearby areas.

In this opinion piece, the writer argues that water restrictions in Kingston and St Andrew hit working-class and informal communities far harder than affluent areas, where residents can rely on tanks, pumps and private trucked water. It calls the situation a matter of inequity, demanding free baseline water delivery and a public audit of allocations.

Residents on the Constant Spring daytime water schedule in Kingston are facing disruptions because reduced inflows at the Molynes Road Facility have lowered storage levels. The NWC says it is working to restore supply before the scheduled distribution period ends and is urging affected communities to conserve stored water.

Drought conditions have cut production at the National Water Commission’s Moravia Treatment Plant in Manchester to about 40%, leaving some customers in Christiana, Coleyville, Chudleigh, Sedburgh, Cobbla, Glencoe, Limit and Ticky Ticky with low pressure or no water. The NWC says it is using water restrictions and trucking water to affected areas as it tries to maintain supply.

The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica is calling for an urgent “national reset” in water planning as drought worsens, with Kingston and St Andrew facing possible tighter restrictions and the Mona Reservoir and Hermitage dam below 50% capacity. It says current and planned projects may not be enough, warning that water security is essential to Jamaica’s economy, food supply and growth.

Worsening drought has prompted the PSOJ to call for a “national reset” in Jamaica’s water planning, warning that Kingston and St Andrew may soon face tighter restrictions as the Mona Reservoir and Hermitage Dam fall below 50% capacity. The business group says ongoing projects are not enough unless the country treats water security as core economic infrastructure for growth, food production and resilience.

NaRRA is reviewing major water projects with the Water Ministry and NWC as drought conditions highlight the need for more storage in Kingston and St Andrew and other areas. CEO Antony Anderson said the century-old Hermitage Dam may no longer meet demand, and technical studies will assess whether a new dam or larger catchment is needed. The authority is also considering quicker community water-storage projects and sewerage upgrades in downtown Kingston.

Jamaica is moving to modernise its 80-year-old water network through a 10-year project to cut water loss in 28 townships from 70% to 30%, with Kingston, Portmore and Spanish Town targeted for major leak reductions. Minister Matthew Samuda said new mains, the US$92-million Rio Cobre plant, and planned dam and pipeline upgrades should improve long-standing water shortages and climate resilience.

The Office of Utilities Regulation is urging stronger planning, coordination and investment across Jamaica’s water sector as drought worsens lockoffs and pressures households. Officials from the NWC and Water Resources Authority said reducing leaks, improving monitoring and advancing major projects are critical to restoring reliability and building climate resilience.

KFC Jamaica says drought-related production problems at its sole vegetable supplier are causing a lettuce shortage, affecting some menu items temporarily. The company apologized as Jamaica’s prolonged El Niño-driven dry spell continues to hurt farmers and has helped push agricultural output down by an estimated 15%.

Residents of River Head, St Thomas, say they sometimes go without piped water even though the Yallahs and Negro rivers nearby supply more than 60 per cent of the Mona Reservoir’s daily inflows for Kingston and St Andrew. The drought has shrunk river levels, worsening losses for farmers and households, while Water Minister Matthew Samuda warns eastern Jamaica may be facing its worst drought on record.

Jamaica is weighing desalination as a response to recurring drought and water shortages, but officials and water experts say high energy costs, brine disposal and tariff impacts make islandwide use impractical for now. The National Water Commission says reducing leak losses may be a better fix, while studies are underway for smaller projects in St Thomas and Clarendon.

Jamaica’s utilities regulator is urging stronger coordination, long-term planning and accountable investment in the water sector as drought deepens and tougher restrictions loom. The National Water Commission says 107 systems are affected, some communities could soon face day-on, day-off supply, and major projects like the Rio Cobre plant are being pushed to improve reliability and resilience.

Jamaica’s Water Ministry has activated emergency procurement to buy and distribute 5,000 black water-storage tanks over the next three months as drought conditions strain supplies. The tanks will go to early-childhood institutions, farmers, households with persons with disabilities and water-scarce communities, with the eastern parishes set to receive the largest share.