Residents of Bunkers Hill, Mears, Broadleaf and Nairne Castle in upper Clarendon are now benefiting from improved access to potable water following the completion of the $91.6-million Bunkers Hill Water Supply Project.

The initiative, implemented by the Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), is expected to provide a more reliable daily supply to approximately 1,000 residents in the communities, where access to potable water has historically been a major challenge.

For years, residents of Bunkers Hill depended primarily on a 5,000-imperial-gallon wayside storage tank that had deteriorated and was no longer providing a dependable source of water.

The project has addressed the situation through the installation of a solar-powered pumping system and construction of a new 10,000-imperial-gallon elevated storage tank.      Additional works include the laying of ductile iron pipes by the National Water Commission (NWC), bringing the total storage capacity serving the area to approximately 15,000 imperial gallons.

Speaking at the recent official commissioning of the system, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, described the project as an important milestone for Bunkers Hill and surrounding communities.

He said the investment demonstrates that residents in rural communities must be able to see tangible benefits from public expenditure.

“Water challenges that the residents have experienced in Bunkers Hill lasted way too long, decades too long,” he said, attributing the wider national water infrastructure challenges to decades of inadequate investment in the sector.

Mr. Samuda said the solar component, representing an investment of approximately $13 million, is expected to reduce the operational costs of the NWC while helping to address the challenges associated with intermittent single-phase electricity supply in the area.

He added that the solar system will initially provide pumping capacity for about six hours daily.

He also announced that up to 20 residents aged 65 and over—10 recommended by the Member of Parliament, and 10 by the Councillor, who meet the necessary requirements could receive complimentary connections to the system.

Meanwhile, Minister Samuda said engineering work is under way on the greater Clarendon water system, which is intended to significantly improve water supply across major population centres in the parish.

A major component will be construction of a new dam at Rock River, which is expected to strengthen water resilience in eastern Clarendon, alongside extensive improvements to transmission pipelines and the interlinking of water systems where feasible.

Mr. Samuda said the Government’s objective is to create greater water resilience while supporting economic development in the parish.

For his part, Member of Parliament for Clarendon Northern, Wavell Hinds, welcomed the Bunkers Hill project and urged residents to pay their bills and protect the infrastructure.

Councillor for the Kellits Division, Noel Nembhard, also welcomed the development, describing water as essential to life and crediting residents and local representatives for advocating for the project.

He recalled visiting several potential water sources with residents before identifying the spring that ultimately contributed to the development of the system.

Mr. Nembhard said the commissioning represents an important step towards improving the quality of life for residents of Bunkers Hill and neighbouring communities.