NWC, JPS ‘dispatch technical officers’ to Graham Well facility

Service at the NWC-owned facility has been sporadic for several weeks now due to repeated external and internal electrical issues at the facility, deepening the water crisis in the rural heartland of southwest St Catherine.

• JPS power issue disrupts water supply in Old Harbour North

This has seen normal supply to the homes of hundreds of residents from Bannister to Five Miles, Bartons – an approximate distance of six miles – being frequently disrupted for several days and in some communities for many weeks. 

The situation at Graham Well has been of major inconvenience for the affected residents with some NWC customers telling Old Harbour News they are forced to pay more than $10,000 to private water suppliers for the precious commodity. 

“I don’t see any NWC truck so a buy mi affi buy water,” one resident who did not want to be named shared with Old Harbour News.

“Right now mi cyaa manage,” a mother commented on a post on social media. “Baby want water fi make him bottle (feed). No water. Clothes pon top a clothes fi wash. No water. Mi need water fi drink and bathe.”

“This is very unbecoming,” added another customer. “Every second water gone and this $24,000 water bill weh mi get this month is ridiculous for someone who hardly have any water.”

One farmer said: “Honestly I have livestocks to take care of daily, clothes to wash weekly, I have to bathe myself daily, water the plants daily, etc… I don’t know how much longer I can go on without buying water and that’s basically where I’m coming from. I even noticed that the water coming in the pipe was dirty the other day.”

However, NWC’s Corporate Communications Manager (acting) Delano Williams said customers served by the utility provider can make arrangements via its toll free line 888 225 5692.

As it relates to a timeline for normalization in supply from the Graham Well, Williams stated that engineers from both the NWC and JPS “are working” together to restore service “as soon as possible”.

“Based on the frequency, both teams have dispatched technical officers to assess cause and possible long term approaches,” he said about resolving the issue.

Old Harbour News understands that a few weeks ago the pump at the facility was taken out for repairs. But due to its extensive damage observed during the repair process the decision was made to replace the pump.

A replacement pump was installed at the facility, however, electrical issues arose thereafter with the JPS being summoned twice to the area to resolve what was said to be an external single-phase problem.

Residents reported receiving water in their pipes late Saturday night into early Sunday morning before service was disrupted for the umpteenth time.