ST. ELIZABETH:

A lot more residents in St. Elizabeth can look to having water trucked to their areas as the parish council has acquired a new water truck to assist its capacity to deliver water to drought-stricken areas of the parish.

This has come at a time when there has been a high demand for potable water to be transported to a number of communities in the bread basket parish.

Speaking in an interview with The Gleaner recently, acting secretary/manager of the council, Gerald Lee, said the new unit, which costs some $8.5 million has placed the agency in a far better position to deliver water to the residents of the parish.

He said the minor water supply systems of the council are being greatly enhanced with the addition of the new water truck.

One unreliable truck

"Prior to this, we only had one unreliable water truck serving the entire parish," said Lee.

"The other unit on location was always at the repair shop being serviced for some problems. We always wanted to be in a position where we can readily truck water anytime to anywhere across the parish to residents," added Lee.

In welcoming the move to have a new water truck at the agency, councillor of the Southfield division one of the worst drought-affected areas in southern St. Elizabeth, Shirley Myers, said the additional water truck will help to ease the water shortage in the parish.

He said that areas like Top Hill, Tryall and Seaview are places that experience severe drought and will be served by the new unit.

Councillor Myers, who is also the deputy mayor of Black River, said, "we will be making sure that the St. Elizabeth parish council is in a position to respond urgently to the needs of the residents. Water is very important and that's why the council had to get this new unit."

Among the other drought-stricken areas in the parish are Junction, Ballards Valley, Bull Savannah, Yardley Chase, Cheapside and Flagaman/Crossroads.

- Rayon Dyer