BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sept 22, CMC – The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) said that communities across rural Jamaica are expected to benefit from improved access to reliable, potable water through a US$36 million investment in the Jamaica Rural Water Supply Programme.
CDB will provide US$30 million, approximately 83 per cent of the programme cost, largely through concessional resources from ite Special Development Fund (SDF). The Jamaica government will contribute US$6.249 million.
The bank and the Jamaica government solidified arrangements for a five-year programme which will develop and upgrade six water-supply schemes across five parishes.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the programme advances the government’s objective of extending reliable, utility-grade water services across the island.
“We are edging closer to achieving universal utility-grade water access in Jamaica. Every year, we are making investments of this nature,” Holness said.
CDB president, Daniel M. Best, said the investment will improve quality of life while strengthening the resilience of communities facing growing pressure on water resources.
“The Jamaica Rural Water Supply Programme is about far more than pipes, pumps and reservoirs. It is about improving lives,” Best said, highlighting that reliable water services support households, schools, health facilities, farmers and businesses, while helping communities withstand the growing impacts of climate change.
The CDB said that approximately 62 per cent of the population targeted by the programme currently relies on unimproved water sources, including rainwater and springs. The investment will expand access to utility-grade water while reducing the time households spend collecting and storing water and supporting economic activity in agriculture, small businesses and tourism.
It said the programme will upgrade water treatment and transmission infrastructure, develop water sources and storage capacity, and install energy-efficient pumps, solar photovoltaic systems and remote monitoring technology.
Best said the investment is particularly important as climate change places greater pressure on Caribbean water resources through droughts, changing rainfall patterns and extreme weather.
“As we respond to today’s needs, we must also prepare for tomorrow’s realities. Investments such as this allow us to deliver essential services while building the resilience communities need for the future,” he said.
The Jamaica Rural Water Supply Programme will be implemented by Rural Water Supply Limited over 60 months, with completion targeted for September 2031. The upgraded systems will be designed to National Water Commission standards and transferred to the NWC for operation and maintenance following completion.
CMC/2026