The Jamaican Government plans to invest US$50 million over the next 18 months to improve water services and other critical infrastructure in rural communities, Water, Environment and Climate Change Minister Matthew Samuda has announced.
Samuda said the investment comprises US$35 million from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and US$15 million from the Consolidated Fund. Commissioning the Spring Garden Water Supply System in St James, the minister said the funding will target long-standing deficiencies in water, sewerage, roads and electricity in communities where existing infrastructure has been outgrown.
The planned investment will include new water systems and upgrades to existing infrastructure in communities including Agualta Vale and Mason Hall in St Mary; Albert Town and the Ulster Spring area in Trelawny; Union in Balaclava, St Elizabeth; Port Morant in eastern St Thomas; and Green Park in St Ann.
‘We are moving to procurement rapidly because, ultimately, these communities have discussed the issue of water in the way that you (Spring Garden) would have discussed the issue for some 30 or 40 years,’ Samuda said.
The announcement coincided with the commissioning of the Spring Garden water system, which was constructed at an estimated cost of $21.75 million.
The project includes a 22-kilowatt-peak solar photovoltaic system and a 10-horsepower pump capable of delivering 45 gallons of water per minute at a pumping head of 550 feet.
Samuda said the investment in Spring Garden reflected the Government’s commitment to addressing infrastructure challenges in rural communities.
‘The investments here are not by accident. They reflect a deep commitment to correcting the situation that faces our deep-rural communities,’ he said.
Mayor of Montego Bay and Chairman of the St James Municipal Corporation, Councillor Richard Vernon, also raised concerns about the condition of roads and bridges in the area.
He said the minister responsible for infrastructure was reviewing those concerns.
Vernon also said the St James Municipal Corporation would undertake improvements to the road surface leading into the community ahead of the start of the 2026/27 academic year, with the aim of making the commute safer and easier for residents and students.
Spring Garden resident Truston Grizzle welcomed the commissioning of the new facility, describing it as a major development for the community.
‘We are so happy because it really changes the game for us in this community,’ he said.