{"id":170655,"date":"2023-03-15T10:41:38","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T14:41:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=170655"},"modified":"2023-03-15T10:41:38","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T14:41:38","slug":"editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"antig-4097908143\" class=\"antig-ecab antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/discoverflow.co\/web\/antigua\" aria-label=\"ANU CVP Digital Broadband 1200x400_1\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1201w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:100\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:342\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:256\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1201\" height=\"401\"   \/><\/a><\/div><div id=\"antig-345438886\" class=\"antig-before-content antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/medicalbenefitsscheme\" aria-label=\"ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1200\/h:400\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1200\/h:400\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:100\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:341\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:256\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1200\" height=\"400\"   \/><\/a><\/div><div id=\"region-content-top\" class=\"grid-6 region region-content-top\">\n<div class=\"region-inner region-content-top-inner\">\n<div id=\"block-delta-blocks-page-title\" class=\"block block-delta-blocks block-page-title block-delta-blocks-page-title odd block-without-title\">\n<div class=\"block-inner clearfix\">\n<div class=\"content clearfix\">\n<h1 id=\"page-title\" class=\"title\">JAMAICA GLEANER: Editorial | Fixing the water crisis<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"region-content-main\" class=\"grid-6 region region-content-main\">\n<div class=\"region-inner region-content-main-inner\">\n<div id=\"block-system-main\" class=\"block block-system block-main block-system-main odd block-without-title\">\n<div class=\"block-inner clearfix\">\n<div class=\"content clearfix\">\n<div class=\"ds-1col node node-openpublish-article node-promoted view-mode-full clearfix\">\n<div class=\"field field-name-addthis-toolbar field-type-ds field-label-hidden\">\n<div class=\"field-items\">\n<div class=\"field-item even\">\n<div class=\"addthis_container jg_addthis_article\">\n<div class=\"addthis_native_toolbox\" data-url=\"https:\/\/jamaica-gleaner.com\/article\/commentary\/20230314\/editorial-fixing-water-crisis\" data-title=\"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis\" data-description=\"The Government needs to explain why half a decade into Jamaica\u2019s new Building Act giving the minister the power to do so \u2013 plus the rapid growth of mid-rise apartment complexes across the capital \u2013 there are no regulations making water harvesting...\">\n<div id=\"atstbx\" class=\"at-share-tbx-element at-share-tbx-native addthis_default_style addthis_20x20_style addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Government needs to explain why half a decade into Jamaica\u2019s new Building Act giving the minister the power to do so \u2013 plus the rapid growth of mid-rise apartment complexes across the capital \u2013 there are no regulations making water harvesting mandatory in new developments.<\/p><div id=\"antig-3161175050\" class=\"antig-content_5 antig-entity-placement\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:771\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/quueens.jpeg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:771\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/quueens.jpeg 1143w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:214\/h:300\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/quueens.jpeg 214w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:732\/h:1024\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/quueens.jpeg 732w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:1075\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/quueens.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:771\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/quueens.jpeg 1097w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1143\" height=\"1600\"   \/><\/div>\n<p>Surprisingly, too, there are no specific incentives or robust policy initiatives to encourage householders to collect rainwater although the National Water Commission (NWC), the state-run water company, sometimes advises its customers to do so to supplement the commission\u2019s supplies.<\/p>\n<p>Water harvesting by individuals is not the full solution to Jamaica\u2019s perennial water supply problem. It can, however, help to mitigate the worst of the crisis during periods of drought, which are becoming longer and drier \u2013 symptoms of global warming and climate change.<\/p><div id=\"antig-439978324\" class=\"antig-content_4 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/discoverflow.co\/web\/antigua\" aria-label=\"ANU CVP Digital Broadband 1200x400_1\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1201w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:100\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:342\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:256\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1201\" height=\"401\"   \/><\/a><\/div><div id=\"antig-1210105216\" class=\"antig-content_12 antig-entity-placement\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1320\/h:730\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_5614.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1320\/h:730\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_5614.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:166\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_5614.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:566\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_5614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:425\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_5614.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:696\/h:385\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_5614.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1320\" height=\"730\"   \/><\/div>\n<p>So in addition to the short-term fixes, the longer-term and broader solution must involve a hard look at the NWC, including its strategic role in Jamaica\u2019s development, the economic cost of fulfilling that obligation, and a frank conversation about whether the price is one that the Government can afford or is prepared to bear.<\/p><div id=\"antig-1882951582\" class=\"antig-content antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.antiguabarbudaculinarymonth.com\/\" aria-label=\"culinary\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:843\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/culinary-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:843\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/culinary-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:132\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/culinary-scaled.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:450\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/culinary-scaled.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:337\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/culinary-scaled.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1536\/h:675\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/culinary-scaled.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:842\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/culinary-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1124\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>The commission\u2019s most recent financial accounts are not readily available. The most recent ones published on its website, for 2017, showed accumulated deficit of nearly $33.6 billion \u2013 after a loss for the year of $1.5 billion \u2013 and warning from its auditors about its ability to continue as a going concern capable of servicing its huge debt unless it was able to significantly cut costs. Indeed, its deficit had long wiped out its equity.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"allcaps\">MAKES SENSE<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>On the question of mandated water harvesting, despite an acceptance of the obligation of the NWC to supply the commodity, most people \u2013 among whom this newspaper is counted \u2013 believe it makes sense.<\/p><div id=\"antig-3311408223\" class=\"antig-content_2 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.courts.com\/antigua\/\" aria-label=\"IMG_0783\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:500\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_0783.png\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:500\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_0783.png 500w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:300\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_0783.png 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_0783.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThey need to hurry that up,\u201d Lenworth Kelly, the president of the Incorporated Master Builders Association, told\u00a0<b>The Gleaner\u00a0<\/b>last week.<\/p>\n<p>Yet this idea has lagged as a government mandate despite the NWC\u2019s CEO, Mark Barnett, believing that in certain instances, it will be the only economically viable option for households, particularly in isolated areas, to have access to water. Indeed, 31 per cent of households in areas not serviced by utilities harvest rainwater as their primary source of water. The Government\u2019s policy calls for increasing the number of households with access to piped water to 85 per cent in 2030 from an estimated 70 per cent in 2015.<\/p><div id=\"antig-496078921\" class=\"antig-content_3 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.courts.com\/antigua\/\" aria-label=\"IMG_1115\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:864\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/IMG_1115.jpeg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:864\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/IMG_1115.jpeg 1080w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:240\/h:300\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/IMG_1115.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:819\/h:1024\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/IMG_1115.jpeg 819w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:960\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/IMG_1115.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1350\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWhen we talk about water and access for communities, we cannot ignore in any way, shape, or form rain harvesting at the household level,\u201d he said at a conference last September. \u201cIt is something that needs to be promoted, and it is something that is enshrined in the current water-sector policy.\u201d<\/p><div id=\"antig-2297694762\" class=\"antig-content_6 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/discoverflow.co\/web\/antigua\" aria-label=\"ANU CVP Digital Broadband 1200x400_1\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1201w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:100\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:342\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:256\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1201\" height=\"401\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>However, notwithstanding the potentially deeper long-term crisis of global water supply caused by climate change, Jamaica\u2019s immediate problem is not a lack of water. Rather, it is the NWC\u2019s (in)ability to bring it to where it is needed and ensuring that most of what it pumps into distribution taps actually reaches the taps. And there is the cost of meeting these goals.<\/p>\n<p>Most of Jamaica\u2019s water (in rivers and limestone aquifers) is on the northern side of the island, the other side of the mountainous spine from where the majority of the population live and do business.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, according to the Government\u2019s Integrated Water Resources Policy document, which was completed and presented in 2019, Jamaica\u2019s average \u201ceffective\u201d annual rainfall \u2013 that is, rainfall after evaporation back into the atmosphere \u2013 is over 10.8 billion cubic metres per year (MCM\/y). Of that amount, an estimated 3.93 billion is exploitable, of which, based on 2010 data, total demand, including environmental requirements, was 1.8 billion cubic metres.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c&#8230; The volume of water resources allocated for industrial and domestic use amounted to 1,203.0 MCM and the demand was 910.2 MCM, implying that there is an overallocation of 292.8 MCM,\u201d the document says.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"allcaps\">COST OF GETTING WATER<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>But the cost of getting water from where it is most plentiful to where the big, and growing, population centres now are, or building or expanding groundwater catchment systems in these areas is expensive.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, Mr Barnett argues that it is better economics, at this time, to concentrate the available resources on repairing systems, leading to less waste, rather than concentrating on building additional capacity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe maths and economics are simple,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you have a network that is losing 60 per cent of what I put in it &#8230; you have to fix that network because whatever new capacity you add, you\u2019re going to lose 60 per cent plus of that anyway &#8230; .\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In recent years, the NWC is estimated to have reduced its non-revenue in the Kingston metropolitan region by a quarter.<\/p>\n<p>There is a perspective, however, that both need to happen simultaneously \u2013 a massive overhaul of the NWC\u2019s leaky distribution system to reduce its waste and an expansion of the infrastructure. The question is, how would an undertaking of that size and potential cost be paid for?<\/p>\n<p>While in Opposition, the current administration floated the idea of privatising the NWC but has not vigorously pursued the matter in Government. Mr Barnett used to be against privatisation \u2013 and perhaps still is.<\/p>\n<p>Obviously, in the context of climate change and the even greater strategic importance of water, Jamaica needs a conversation about its water future \u2013 from how the country allocates the commodity to who does the allocating, at what price, and the context within which that price is set.<\/p>\n<div id=\"antig-4027872606\" class=\"antig-in-comments_2 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/@hadeedmotorsltd\" aria-label=\"Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1000\/h:250\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2.png\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1000\/h:250\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2.png 1000w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:75\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2.png 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:192\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1000\" height=\"250\"   \/><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>JAMAICA GLEANER: Editorial | Fixing the water crisis The Government needs to explain why half a decade into Jamaica\u2019s new Building Act giving the minister the power to do so \u2013 plus the rapid growth of mid-rise apartment complexes across the capital \u2013 there are no regulations making water harvesting mandatory in new developments. Surprisingly, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":138651,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-170655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.1 (Yoast SEO v24.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Editorial | Fixing the water crisis - Antigua News Room<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"JAMAICA GLEANER: Editorial | Fixing the water crisis The Government needs to explain why half a decade into Jamaica\u2019s new Building Act giving the minister the power to do so \u2013 plus the rapid growth of mid-rise apartment complexes across the capital \u2013 there are no regulations making water harvesting mandatory in new developments. Surprisingly, [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Antigua News Room\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/antiguanewsroom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"750\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Editor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@AntiguaNewsRoom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AntiguaNewsRoom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Editor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Editor\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/person\/36cac05ef6398fe56ae3e6317f8535c5\"},\"headline\":\"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/\"},\"wordCount\":916,\"commentCount\":4,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:750\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/\",\"name\":\"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis - Antigua News Room\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:750\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:750\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:750\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg\",\"width\":750,\"height\":500},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/\",\"name\":\"Antigua News Room\",\"description\":\"News As It Happens\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Antigua Newsroom\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1080\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_1584.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1080\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_1584.jpeg\",\"width\":1260,\"height\":1260,\"caption\":\"Antigua Newsroom\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/antiguanewsroom\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/AntiguaNewsRoom\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/antiguanewsroom\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/person\/36cac05ef6398fe56ae3e6317f8535c5\",\"name\":\"Editor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96\",\"caption\":\"Editor\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/author\/editor\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis - Antigua News Room","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis","og_description":"JAMAICA GLEANER: Editorial | Fixing the water crisis The Government needs to explain why half a decade into Jamaica\u2019s new Building Act giving the minister the power to do so \u2013 plus the rapid growth of mid-rise apartment complexes across the capital \u2013 there are no regulations making water harvesting mandatory in new developments. Surprisingly, [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/","og_site_name":"Antigua News Room","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/antiguanewsroom","article_published_time":"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00","og_image":[{"width":750,"height":500,"url":"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Editor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@AntiguaNewsRoom","twitter_site":"@AntiguaNewsRoom","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Editor","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/"},"author":{"name":"Editor","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/person\/36cac05ef6398fe56ae3e6317f8535c5"},"headline":"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis","datePublished":"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/"},"wordCount":916,"commentCount":4,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:750\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/","url":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/","name":"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis - Antigua News Room","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:750\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg","datePublished":"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-15T14:41:38+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:750\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:750\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Tap_water_scarcity_pixabay-pipe-dry.jpeg","width":750,"height":500},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/editorial-fixing-the-water-crisis\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Editorial | Fixing the water crisis"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/","name":"Antigua News Room","description":"News As It Happens","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#organization","name":"Antigua Newsroom","url":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1080\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_1584.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1080\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_1584.jpeg","width":1260,"height":1260,"caption":"Antigua Newsroom"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/antiguanewsroom","https:\/\/x.com\/AntiguaNewsRoom","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/antiguanewsroom\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/person\/36cac05ef6398fe56ae3e6317f8535c5","name":"Editor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96","caption":"Editor"},"url":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/author\/editor\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170655\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/138651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/anr-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}