The Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) says it has intensified relief efforts across the island as crews work to restore water supply following major damage to the raw waterline and ongoing dry season conditions.
Water Services Manager Jim King, speaking at a press conference on February 18, explained that the disruption began earlier this month when multiple leaks developed along the critical pipeline that transports raw water from the John Compton Dam to the treatment plant. “On the 5th of February, we went in to repair three major leaks. These repairs took us about 40 hours, from the morning of February 5th to the night of February 7th.”
King noted that after the initial repairs were completed and the system was reopened, the pipeline suffered additional failures due to increased pressure. “Our crews returned and were able to complete those repairs within about 12 hours, and water was restored.”
However, restoring full supply has proven challenging, as the system had been completely drained during the outage. “For a period of three days, our distribution lines and storage tanks went dry,” King said. “Some of these lines are 24 inches in diameter and run for kilometers. It takes millions of gallons of water just to recharge the system before supply can reach customers.”
He added that residents living in elevated areas may experience longer delays due to the time required to rebuild pressure throughout the network. “It’s a slow process, and we understand the frustration,” he said.
As part of its emergency response, WASCO has implemented island-wide water trucking, community valving, and an intensified leak detection and repair campaign. “The trucking affects the entire country because we have to take from places where supply is more available and move it to the most affected areas,” King explained. “It’s about sharing what little resource we have.”
WASCO is also urging the public to assist by reporting leaks and avoiding unnecessary water wastage, as crews continue efforts to stabilize the system.
King assured residents that WASCO remains committed to restoring normal supply as quickly as possible. “We understand the plight of the public, and we are working to ensure that everybody gets a supply in due time,” he said.
