We in Jamaica constantly hear it being said “water is life”,
however a feature of the “Land of Wood and Water” is water lock-offs
perpetuated by occasions of drought. One complaint of the sole supplier of the
precious commodity is the very high cost of electricity which is needed to produce
and distribute potable water. But why is this the case? And is there no other
way? Well, there is a place not too far afield that provides a guide – New York
City.
It is said the New York City's water supply system is one of
the most extensive municipal water systems in the world. This complex system
relies on a combination of tunnels, aqueducts and reservoirs to meet the daily
needs of the city's over 8 million residents and its many visitors. This is
achieved thanks to well-protected wilderness watersheds, New York's water
treatment process is simpler than in other American cities. One advantage of
the system is that 95% of the total
water supply is supplied by gravity. The other 5% needs to be pumped to
maintain pressure, but this is sometimes increased in times of drought when the
reservoirs are at lower than normal levels.
So, with this prime example, why is it Jamaica’s water
supply system with about 1,000 facilities islandwide is so reliant
on expensive electricity? There is actually no reason Jamaica to not have potable
water produced and delivered more efficiently and cost-effectively. All it
requires is a healthy dose of will and a bit real ingenuity.
