Ian Hayles
The Parliamentary Opposition has described as a crisis the water problems now facing sections of Kingston and St. Andrew as well as St. Catherine.
In recent weeks, National Water Commission (NWC) customers in several communities have been complaining about the lack of water.
This has been caused mainly by pipelines being damaged due to road projects.
At a media briefing Tuesday, Opposition Spokesman on Water Ian Hayles said the situation had resulted from the mismanagement of the projects.
He estimated that more than 400,000 residents in the Kingston Metropolitan Area are being affected, instead of the 105,000 that has been reported.
Mr. Hayles wants Prime Minister Andrew Holness to immediately address the water woes by meeting with the respective members of Parliament and facilitating the trucking of water to the affected areas.
Mr. Hayles said the NWC should address the supply problems before the Office of Utilities Regulation grants it a rate increase.
"You have 70 per cent non-revenue water being collected for, people across Kingston and St. Andrew and across Jamaica can't get water but they have a perfect meter in their front yard; and all we're saying is before you seek this rate increase, please we're asking you fix the problems then go to OUR," he insisted.
The NWC last year applied to the OUR for a 23 per cent average increase in water charges, and a 38 per cent average hike in sewerage charges.
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