WATER

Kingstons high-rise boom has outpaced its water infrastructure. A Gleaner editorial argues the fix should be mandatory rainwater harvesting on new buildings, not just more NWC pipeline spending.

Kingstons high-rise boom has outpaced its water infrastructure. A Gleaner editorial argues the fix should be mandatory rainwater harvesting on new buildings, not just more NWC pipeline spending.

Kingstons high-rise boom has outpaced its water infrastructure. A Gleaner editorial argues the fix should be mandatory rainwater harvesting on new buildings, not just more NWC pipeline spending.

A National Water Commission representative is still working to reassure communities that have been without reliable piped water supply for nine months following Hurricane Melissa — a situation that has direct and serious consequences for the habitability, hygiene, and property values of affected areas.

Trelawny residents have gone nine months without piped water since Hurricane Melissa. A local councillor says only a demonstration will get the National Water Commission’s real attention.

As Hurricane Melissa crossed Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, the Christian relief group Samaritan’s Purse put teams on standby and began loading tarpaulins, shelter materials, water systems and solar lights for an airlift from North Carolina.

A Christian school for more than 100 deaf students in Knockpatrick, Manchester, which had been spending up to $800,000 a year buying water, received $2 million for a rainwater harvesting and supply system able to store over 100,000 gallons.

Brazil’s 2024 floods in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul damaged 16 Lutheran churches and flooded more than 2,200 Lutheran families’ homes, a week after the church had held disaster response training.

Antigua completed upgrades at Tindall Temple SDA Church, the first of four churches being turned into climate-resilient shelters with a US$225,000 Green Climate Fund grant covering roof reinforcement, solar power and water harvesting.

US Episcopal parishes have helped Cuban congregations stabilise an unsafe church at Itabo, build visitor dormitories and install about 26 water filtration systems, while a Santa Cruz del Norte church still awaited roof repairs after Irma.

JPS and the NWC have both had to fight squatting on their own infrastructure land. A quieter, less visible front in Jamaicas long-running squatting crisis.