The Jamaican government is moving to significantly increase water trucking to drought-affected communities, as the current drought affecting the island worsens.

The worsening dry conditions are placing growing pressure on the country’s water supply, with the administration already enforcing water prohibition measures, including cutting the hours of water supplied by the National Water Commission (NWC) to residential and business customers. The government has so far spent approximately$86 million on emergency water trucking to assist communities experiencing shortages.

However, with drought conditions expected to worsen, spending on the response could increase substantially to as much as $500 million. Municipalities are expected to receive resources to provide water to communities outside utility service areas, while the NWC will receive additional support to maintain supplies to critical infrastructure.

Advance request for deliveries

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Matthew Samuda, explains that requests for water deliveries should be made in advance, with hospitals, health centres, schools and places of safety receiving priority. Vulnerable residents and communities experiencing severe water shortages will follow. 

The authorities are closely monitoring conditions in St. Mary, Portland, St. Thomas, Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Ann, while Clarendon is also being watched. Some rainfall has been recorded in western Jamaica, particularly in Hanover, Westmoreland and sections of St. Elizabeth, but rainfall levels remain below normal.

Minister Samuda is urging Jamaicans to conserve water as the country grapples with what he described as an increasingly severe and unusual dry spell. He notes that forecasts indicate that Jamaica could receive little to no significant rainfall over the next several weeks, raising concerns about further depletion of rivers, wells, aquifers and storage facilities.

According to him, “the projections and forecasts from the Met Service, which they have cross-checked with the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation in Florida, do not suggest any rainfall of consequence in Jamaica over the next few weeks. And that is incredibly unusual.” 

Significant below-average rainfall 

Jamaica has experienced significantly below-average rainfall over the past three months, including during a period when rainfall would normally help recharge aquifers and replenish rivers, wells and other water sources. The situation is particularly concerning as the country approaches the start of the new school year, when demand for water from households and institutions is expected to increase.

Samuda also explained that the water prohibition orders that have already been introduced in eastern parishes hardest hit by the dry conditions were done in an effort to reduce the rate at which stressed water supplies are being depleted.