jamaica drought

[blugiant]

Re: jamaica drought

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: diabolical_Tanya</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I heard about this yesterday when mi supplier call fi tell mi him can't get noh more calaloo or breadfruit fi bring up sake a di drought </div></div>

yu knoo sumtime mii feel badd

farreen gitt awl aff ja ja good food dat poor jamaican cyaan afford. still mii cyaan bunn fiyah cah mii buyinn itt

[blugiant]

Re: jamaica drought

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CeaBee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">me hear seh dem tiefing water from people tank ..i dont even know how that work </div></div>

ear oww itt wukk peeps inna da countree use to drought ann water natt runninn fram tap. soo smart peeps wey can afford itt buy bigg water tank ann use itt fii store water fi wen tap natt runninn so dem doan runn dry. peeps knoo woo ave tank soo wen dem tunn dem bakk dem goo teef. dat y yu affii ave machine fii defend wen dem teefs ann xxtortionists a trii a ting

[Ja. Jewel]

Re: jamaica drought

Maybe the Nat'l. Water Commission should be a little more diligent about repairing pipe leaks....Numerous times I have seen gallons of water running from pipes under the road for long periods of time. In Duncans there always seems to be one problem area in the road that periodically spouts a leak and it goes on &amp; on &amp; on for weeks at a time.....wonder how much water that wastes??

[Yuriatin]

Re: jamaica drought

I think we all know the answer to that one ...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: blakkgiant</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
peeps a use barrel ann tanks fii ketch water

poor peeps inn jamaica a go thirstee
<span style="font-weight: bold">
mii wandar oww de tourists bearinn</span>
</div></div>

[evanovitch]

Re: jamaica drought

r we still called 'the land of wood and WATER'

[blugiant]

Re: jamaica drought

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">r we still called 'the land of wood and WATER' </div></div>

yess

land aff wood?

y yu tink renta dread bizzness soo good?

water?

juss digg sum wells ann de water will runn

[blugiant]

Re: jamaica drought

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ja. Jewel</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Maybe the Nat'l. Water Commission should be a little more diligent about repairing pipe leaks....Numerous times I have seen gallons of water running from pipes under the road for long periods of time. In Duncans there always seems to be one problem area in the road that periodically spouts a leak and it goes on &amp; on &amp; on for weeks at a time.....wonder how much water that wastes?? </div></div>

dat part aff de jamaica water canservation joke. repeatlee tunninn da water on ann aff aggo cause more pipes fii leak ann brukk cah aff de water pressure. soo dem affii digg upp road fixxed de pipes dat dem brukk cantinuouslee

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: jamaica drought

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Peasie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What other options are there that would provide a steady stream of
potable water for the Kingston metro area? </div></div>The solution though never suggested before by the so-called pundits.
This would involve the creation of holding ponds, capable of holding minimum three months supply of water.
The source of supply should be the floodwater.
This strategy could be used to solve two problems.
The very serious areas of flooding and water shortage.
I know it is a new idea, but what do you expect, when you asked the question?
If it was what you are used to seeing in proposals, it would already be posted here.

[Sinco01]

Re: jamaica drought

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Peasie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What other options are there that would provide a steady stream of
potable water for the Kingston metro area? </div></div>The solution though never suggested before by the so-called pundits.
This would involve the creation of holding ponds, capable of holding minimum three months supply of water.
The source of supply should be the floodwater.
This strategy could be used to solve two problems.
The very serious areas of flooding and water shortage.
I know it is a new idea, but what do you expect, when you asked the question?
If it was what you are used to seeing in proposals, it would already be posted here. </div></div>


Doc ..
I must disagree with this response ..
The insinuations are that we need to wait for floods to gather water ..
that is foolish ..
flood control is one thing ..
water for people consumption ..
s a whole other deal ..

<span style="font-weight: bold">Dam the gorge ..
build de walls as high as the Hoover Dam if need be ..
</span>
Have you ever travelled through the gorge by Train Doc ?

There are places from Richmond through Troja to Old Harbour where that gorge can be dammed ..

[Sinco01]

Re: jamaica drought




<span style="color: #000099"><span style="font-size: 17pt">Praying for rain</span></span>

<span style="font-weight: bold">St Andrew family stressed by water worries</span>

BY DONNA HUSSEY-WHYTE Environment Watch staff reporter [email protected]

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

FAMILIES islandwide, and especially those in the Corporate Area, have for months now been plagued by worries over water as the rains refuse to come and the National Water Commission daily rations the essential natural resource.

Included among them is the nine-member Davis family of the




<span style="font-style: italic">The Hermitage Dam in St Andrew grows drier as drought conditions persist.</span>



<span style="font-style: italic">An elderly man catches water from a spring near Airy Castle in Stony Hill, St Andrew</span>.



<span style="font-style: italic">The Airy Castle community in Stony Hill, St Andrew, where residents have been praying for rain as drought conditions prevail. (Photos: Garfield Robinson)</span>


Airy Castle community in Stony Hill, St Andrew, whose members are nearing the end of their rope.

They, like so many others in the area, get water only for about five or so hours on some days, while the pressure is low and the commodity dirty.

&quot;It is unbearable. But we just have to try and cope with the system,&quot; said Andrea Davis, who heads the family of nine, which includes her two children, her grandfather, a sister, a niece, a nephew, her uncle and a cousin.

She said that their predicament is made worse by the current economic realities.

&quot;We can't afford to buy a tank so we have two drums, one that we use for water and one for clothes,&quot; the single mother, who is in her 40s, told Environment Watch.

Davis noted that while they may get water between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm in the days, the one drum that they have is not able to hold enough to supply the entire household until the next day. As a result, they have had to get creative with their use of water.

&quot;If anybody bathe, they have to save the water to flush the toilet,&quot; she said. &quot;To tell the truth, I am not afraid to beg and so I will beg my neighbours (for water) and send my daughter to beg too. I am not ashamed to beg.&quot;

This, Davies added, she does from neighbours who own water tanks.

&quot;We have a river nearby, but because the rain is not falling the water is dirty and cannot really be used for much,&quot; the woman said. &quot;I tell my daughter if she does not have enough water to bathe then she should just tidy up. What else can we do? The water situation is really very bad. Once it was bad, but it is worse now.&quot;

She said that another of her family's strategy is to catch water in the many soda bottles that they purchase daily.

&quot;We are always buying sodas, so one of the things we do is to full the bottles and save them for drinking,&quot; she said.

Davis noted that piped water would at one time be available from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm. Now it is turned off by 4:00 pm -- sometimes even 2:00 pm -- and it is more than the family can take.

&quot;You have to do all that you are doing from early before the water goes,&quot; said the frustrated woman, adding that it is hard for a household that size whose members are out to school or work for most of the day.

Her sister Marie added that even with the water shortage, the water bills keep coming and the amount is similar to the amount they usually received prior to the drought.

&quot;I don't know what will happen and how we are going to manage,&quot; Marie said. &quot;We just have to pray for rain. There is nothing else that we can do.&quot;

Other community members feel that their ongoing water troubles are to be blamed, at least in part, on the water trucks that go in, fill up from the hydrant, and then leave for other communities where they sell the water.

&quot;The trucks come and load up and transport water to other areas,&quot; one elderly man said from his place under a dry tree trunk in the community.

&quot;It is unfair that we do not have water here and it is being sold to outside people,&quot; complained the man who did not give his name.

Other community members concurred, adding that it was a practice that prevailed because they are unable to pay for water while people from other communities can.

&quot;Is a money-making business they doing. They are not suppose to be selling water, but persons need it and they are willing to pay for it, so of course they will sell it. Both parties benefit. But what happen to those who can't pay? They have no choice but to do without,&quot; the elderly man said further.

&quot;We can't afford to buy water; we can't even afford to buy tank,&quot; said Davis of her own family. &quot;The water should be free. Right now Hermitage dam is pure sand, no water is there, so I don't know how we are going to cope. We just have to pray for rain.&quot;

[Sinco01]

Re: jamaica drought




<span style="font-style: italic">I think the last person meant import not export .. </span>




<span style="color: #000099"><span style="font-size: 17pt">In search of water security</span></span>

<span style="font-weight: bold">Cloud seeding not yet an option for Jamaica</span>

BY PETRE WILLIAMS-RAYNOR Environment editor [email protected]

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

THE prevailing drought conditions have left Jamaica in search of options to safeguard its water security, but cloud seeding is not one of them -- not yet anyway.

The consensus among local stakeholders is that cloud seeding -- which involves spreading silver iodide aerosols into the upper part of clouds to try to stimulate rain -- is not the answer. Among the reasons for this is the fact that there are no guarantees with the use of the technology.




<span style="font-style: italic">The Hermitage Dam in St Andrew which grows drier as drought conditions persist.</span>



<span style="font-style: italic">FERNANDEZ... we need to use pricing to force people to cut back on the use of water</span>


&quot;Cloud seeding is an expensive and unsure technique that is used,&quot; said Basil Fernandez, managing director of the Water Resources Authority (WRA). &quot;You have no control over whether the rain falls or not, or where it falls. A small island like ours, you can seed a cloud and then the rain falls somewhere else or it doesn't fall at all.&quot;

Dr Michael Taylor, who heads the Physics Department at the University of the West Indies, agreed. Given the uncertainties surrounding the technique, Taylor said if and when Jamaica decides to go ahead with it, the process will have to be informed by research.

&quot;Cloud seeding in my mind is a two-pronged approach. It is an operational campaign, which involves the actual flying into the clouds and doing the seeding, but that must be accompanied by a research campaign, which dictates the conditions of the operational campaign. So, in other words, you need to know the type of clouds that you have on any given day or at any given time of the day,&quot; he told Environment Watch.

&quot;We did it (cloud seeding) in the '70s, so I am sure we could do it operationally. But we are not carrying out the research to guide it. So at the present moment, the extent of how efficient a campaign would be is questionable. We don't have the research side going. Also, the capacity to do the research, we would also have to look into. Doing it right now, the recommendation would be no, because you might not get value for the effort,&quot; added the expert, who was among those consulted by Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang on the issue recently.

Professor Anthony Chen, himself a physicist and noted climate researcher, shared Fernandez's and Taylor's view on cloud seeding.

&quot;Cloud seeding is a bit uncertain. What the experts that we have contacted say is that it is not the right time for cloud seeding. They say that we should try and do it when it is more conducive to raining, which is maybe May or so. But by then, we will have rain anyway,&quot; said Chen, who was also among those consulted by Chang. &quot;The advice to the minister is that it would probably not be worthwhile now to try cloud seeding. At a later stage, we can try experimenting with it, but not right now because the clouds are not conducive to cloud seeding.&quot;

Fernandez has instead recommended that, among other things, Jamaicans be made to pay more for water, thus encouraging conservation to help secure the commodity over the long term.

&quot;<span style="font-weight: bold">We need to use pricing to aid conservation. We need to price water, the true price of water</span>. The tariff that National Water Commission (NWC) now has doesn't allow them to recover their capital cost and any significant amount for their operations or maintenance cost,&quot; he told Environment Watch. &quot;So we need to use pricing to force people to cut back on the use of water. So if you're going to waste water then you will have to pay for it.&quot;

Fernandez added that the NWC could also partner with customers to retrofit households to use less water.

&quot;In terms of the demand side management, the utility company like the NWC could work something out with customers to say we will change out your flush toilet that uses so much water (such as) the heavy flush which uses three gallons to something that uses one gallon, and then give them some sort of rebate over time,&quot; he said. &quot;This has been done all over the world and they have saved a lot of water... In addition to that, you have less water going out to treat and (thus) limit the impact on the environment.&quot;

Beyond that, Fernandez said <span style="font-weight: bold">the island needed to find ways to store more of its rainfall</span>, including making it a requirement for developers.

&quot;You do that when you approve a development. You put the conditions on there as to what the developer can do -- leave green spaces that can allow a certain amount of infiltration and reduced runoff,&quot; he said. &quot;Just like how we could say <span style="font-weight: bold">every house must be guttered and the rain water stored in an underground cistern</span>,<span style="font-style: italic">(our house in Mandeville and others there already does this)</span> such as in the United States or the British Virgin Islands (we can store rainwater) and use that water for (things like) flushing toilets, watering your lawn so we are not using treated city water for doing the things that untreated water can be used for.&quot;

Chen agreed with Fernandez that finding ways to store rain water was critical.

&quot;We do have enough rainfall; we just need to store it. We don't have enough reservoirs to store it; so we can store it underground in the aquifers,&quot; he said. &quot;Basil Fernandez has said we should recharge our aquifers, that is, all the runoff that comes from rainfall. So instead of going into gullies and going out to sea, you put them back underground through sink holes and things like that.&quot;

The WRA boss also said there is the need to improve communication to allow for better planning.

&quot;We do have a Caricom agency in Barbados called the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology and they have been issuing some warnings and forecasts, but I don't think people across the Caribbean have been taking any action and that brings us down to the problem of dissemination of information so that we can take early action,&quot; he said.

Taylor, for his part, said planning based on the available information was critical if islands such as Jamaica are to endure such extreme weather as droughts.

&quot;The problem we are facing is the lack of the rain last year coming into the beginning of this year. So it talks about planning and utilising science that is available to us already, because the drought towards the end of last year should not have taken us by surprise because we know it brings this type of result toward the end of our rainy season,&quot; Taylor said. &quot;The fact that we were taken so much by surprise and the lack of planning is part of the problem.&quot;

Fernandez, in the interim, said there was also the need for a national conservation programme.

&quot;I am not talking about something that happens when we don't have any water. (Instead), you conserve all the time, and we go to what we call a demand management, which is basically that we manage what people are asking for,&quot; he said. &quot;We teach people about -- and introduce in the development of new housing developments and that sort of thing -- low-flush toilets, shower heads... and ensure that we conserve water as much as possible. So we actually reduce the amount of water that people use. We put out the necessary information, let them understand what it will take and that they need to do it.&quot;

Added Fernandez: &quot;And then we need to look at systems that are more sustainable. We have seen Kingston grow at an alarming rate. We have a lot of housing going up in the upper watershed. Everybody put in concrete. Nobody wants to put grass or clear mud, so what happens is that you get all this water that runs out from the watershed, comes downstream, creates damage and we lose all water going out. We need to deal with the watershed issues.&quot;

Taylor echoed his sentiments on the need for conservation.

&quot;The end of April into May/June is when we get rain again,&quot; said Taylor. &quot;So we need to take the measures, whether it is water harvesting or other sources of water capture, or the measures for water recycling or trucking. Those are some of the steps that are being taken now, which will hopefully take us into when the rainy season will reappear.

&quot;Those same measures are some of the things we need to think of for the long term so that we are not caught in this kind of cycle again. Water harvesting must be undertaken, both at the government level and the individual level, which is that when the water is there, you try to capture it.&quot;

Added Taylor: &quot;We also have to figure out other ways. There is, for example, underground water and we just need to reach it. We now need to begin to think about that. We now need to think about recycling. We have a stigma against using grey water. You don't have to use it to drink, but it can be used for other purposes such as irrigation.&quot;


<span style="color: #000099"><span style="font-size: 17pt">J'cans have their say on water security</span></span>

Donna Hussey-Whyte

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

THE persistent water shortage is hampering the efficient running of several households across Jamaica, notably those in the Corporate Area, leaving many frustrated and desperate for the day when the precious commodity once again runs freely from their taps.

But from the looks of things, it could be a while longer before that happens. Environment Watch hit the streets last week to hear from Jamaicans about how they think water security can be assured once this drought is over. Here is what they had to say.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Vernal Gentles, Spanish Town</span>

&quot;In the short term water can be transported where needed. In the long term, <span style="font-weight: bold">there is the need for a new dam and more well drilling.</span> If the government wants to go hi-tech, they can have a desalination plant where they remove the salt from the sea water. But that is very expensive. They can also do cloud seeding. This is the attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds by dispersing substances into the air that serves as cloud dispensation. The problem with this, though, is that they would not have control over the amount of rains that fall and could result in flooding. They can also recycle household water, this is something that is done in many other countries. Then there is the good old conservation. One of the ways to do this is to use double-flush toilet valves, where if persons pass their faeces, it flushes with a lot of water, but if they urinate or spit in the toilet it uses less water to flush.&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold">Marie Smith, Stony Hill, St Andrew</span>

&quot;I have gastro (gastroentoritis) right now because of lack of water and because the water we get is dirty. The government can <span style="font-weight: bold">transport water in trucks</span> and make agreement with the community to say what time they're coming so that people can prepare for it.&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold">Daisy Foster, Stony Hill, St Andrew</span>

&quot;Right now <span style="font-weight: bold">I don't have any Government but they can truck water to the people and stop sell it. Water come from God and it free so they should not be selling it</span> to people. That way they can ensure that people get water. Right now the water situation really terrible.&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold">Winston Johnson, Spanish Town</span>

&quot;Right now there might not be much that can be done, but government can look into <span style="font-weight: bold">running pipes from the rivers and also dig more wells</span>. Wells don't get dry so easily, so that would help in the long run.&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold">Simon Barrett, Spanish Town</span>

&quot;Persons just have to try and <span style="font-weight: bold">conserve more -- use less water and catch and store</span>. The government has to see to it that water trucks can go in certain areas and give people water. They have to let people know that water is limited so they must conserve.&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold">André Mannings, Waterhouse, Kingston</span>

&quot;<span style="font-weight: bold">Dig more wells and export water from other countries like Trinidad</span>. That water could be used for drinking, and the little in the dam used to bathe and wash. Buying drinking water might be expensive, but persons cannot do without it.&quot;

[barosa]

Re: jamaica drought

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-weight: bold">Dam the gorge ..
build de walls as high as the Hoover Dam if need be ..</span></div></div>
A dam or two is definetely needed to supersede the old dams that can no longer supply our needs. The analogy of the Hoover is taken for what it's worth, but a dam or two is definetely required to meet our needs into the future and to supersede the Hermitage and Mona Dams which will be relegated as backups... ~ `We all know that Major &quot;Civil Engineering Projects&quot; are cosly and as always, the question often asked is: How can we afford it?

What Jamaica needs is a proper &quot;long term planning agenda&quot; to combat the effects of more frequent droughts.. ~ `The growth in sub-divions, many housing complexes, Hotels, Commerce, Industry, etc and <span style="font-weight: bold">population growth</span> has rendered the old dams to be grossly inadequate for today's needs. ~ We may have to decide between this and a possible &quot;new stadium&quot; in the Caymanas area I recently read about. If we can have both, I say go for it! but water is LIFE...
_________________________

At a time of universal deceit, telling the truth ia a revolutionary act : George Orwell

[Sinco01]

Re: jamaica drought

<span style="color: #000099"><span style="font-size: 17pt">Water plan a no-go</span></span>
Published: Thursday | April 1,



<span style="font-style: italic">As drought conditions continue to affect the Corporate Area, the Mona Reservoir in St Andrew exhibits diminished levels yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
</span>
Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

A MAJOR plank in the Government's drought-mitigation efforts has collapsed, leaving the National Water Commission (NWC) under more pressure to provide even short-term relief to parched Jamaicans.

Legal challenges have put paid to the Government's plan to borrow almost $500 million from the National Housing Trust (NHT) to finance the ambitious drought-mitigation programme.

With most of the island facing serious drought conditions and the NWC warning that the situation would become worse before it gets better, Water Minister Horace Chang late last year announced the plan to get a $477-million interest-bearing loan from the NHT to address some of the problems.

&quot;I am anticipating that the agreement will be signed by next week,&quot; Chang told The Gleaner on December 29.

That expression of confidence came despite clear indications from the chairman of the NHT, Howard Mitchell, that he was opposed to the deal.

&quot;My personal view is that the National Housing Trust Act is very specific about what must be done with the funds and, as such, I think it should stay within the terms of the act. No decision has been made by anybody to lend money to the National Water Commission,&quot; Mitchell said

&quot;A request was made, which is under consideration but, in the process of that consideration, legal advice has been sought,&quot; added the NHT chairman.

However, Chang was adamant. &quot;We have agreed in principle but we are still sorting out some knotty legal issues,&quot; he had said.

Yesterday, Information Minister Daryl Vaz indicated that, in the final analysis, Mitchell was right.

&quot;Because of legal impediments, (the loan deal) was not done and that has caused a major shift in how we had wanted to address the drought situation,&quot; Vaz told the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House.

&quot;Minister Chang will give some information on that and I think they are in the final stage of devising new measures,&quot; added Vaz.

The water minister had previously indicated that, the $477 million from the NHT would allow the NWC to spend $102 million over six months trucking water to households.

In addition, $142 million was to be spent for well development, $17 million for public education and awareness, and $18 million for operation and maintenance.

That would amount to $279 million of the money borrowed from the trust.

Another $195.1 million was to be turned over to the Local Government division in the Office of the Prime Minister to assist in the trucking of water islandwide.

Of that amount, $155.1 million was to be spent on trucking water, with $40 million to be spent on acquiring 20 new trucks.

The remaining $3 million was to be spent on the black tank programme, intended to assist householders with storage capacity.

On Tuesday, the NWC announced that the water crisis was threatening to get even worse as the continued absence of rain was causing the inflows into the most critical water supply systems
to dwindle even further.

The NWC warned its customers to brace for scheduled and unscheduled water lock-offs.

There was some rainfall in sections of the island yesterday, but not enough to make a major difference.

[email protected]

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: jamaica drought

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sinco01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Doc ..
I must disagree with this response ..
The insinuations are that we need to wait for floods to gather water ..
that is foolish ..
flood control is one thing ..
water for people consumption ..
s a whole other deal ..

<span style="font-weight: bold">Dam the gorge ..
build de walls as high as the Hoover Dam if need be ..
</span>
Have you ever travelled through the gorge by Train Doc ?

There are places from Richmond through Troja to Old Harbour where that gorge can be dammed .. </div></div>
How is it you are not as willing to disagree with the Nobel lauriate and Jamaican engineer that recently suggested a similar solution.

[halfwaytree]

Re: jamaica drought

Saw this posted on another site. It was posted by one of the regulars on jamaicans.com.

Just so you know, there are one or two words used that you may not want the little ones to hear.

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