From Caribbean360

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Friday July 18, 2014, CMC – The water crisis across Jamaica’s Corporate Area has worsened as the severe drought continues.

The National Water Commission (NWC) is reporting that levels at the two main catchment facilities in the Corporate Area have dwindled to about one month’s supply.

The NWC’s Vice-President for Potable Water and Maintenance, Mark Blair, says the situation is deteriorating daily.

“We have roughly around 30 days of storage left at the Hermitage Dam based on present usage and with the restrictions that we have placed on the distribution network and a similar amount of days the Mona Reservoir. We are operating at around 60% capacity.

He says supplies from alternative sources have to be shared with the Corporate Area and the eastern parish of St. Thomas.

Meanwhile, with water supplies in the Corporate Area critically low, the NWC says there could be further restrictions.

“If nothing changes, we will have to make adjustments, we are making adjustments weekly as we look at the forecast. The Met Office says they expect moderate drought conditions even during September which is very frightning. We are very nervous about that and we hope that projection is wrong,” he said.

A prohibition notice took effect a week ago restricting water usage.

Persons are not allowed to water gardens, lawns, grounds and farms; and are barred from filling tanks, ponds or swimming pools.

The drought has also had an impact on farming communities, mainly in the southern parish of St Elizabeth.

On Wednesday, more farmers suffered losses after several large fires broke out in the “bread basket” parish.

The fires – triggered by drought conditions, took several hours to be extinguished, ravaged plots of farmland in the communities of Lititz, Malvern and Comma Pen.

Just over a week ago, fire destroyed over 600 acres of farmland in the parish.

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/jamaica-water-woes-continue-drought-worsens?utm_source=Caribbean360%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=f210143e0e-Vol_9_Issue_143_News7_18_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-f210143e0e-39393477