KSAMC urges water party restraint

THE Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has urged water party organisers to carefully consider the timeliness and appropriateness of staging such events, as drought conditions persist and water restrictions threaten to become more stringent. Speaking at the KSAMC’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Mayor Lorraine Dobson, in the absence of Mayor Swaby, acknowledged the concerns of residents surrounding the issuance of licences for water parties. She appealed to promoters to consider the plight of residents across the Corporate Area who are experiencing water shortages and have been urged to conserve, arguing that seeing water used for recreational purposes could cause frustration and distress. “I therefore wish to make a direct appeal to the promoters of these events to act responsibly and with sensitivity to the circumstances confronting our residents. I ask that they carefully consider the timing and manner in which these events are staged and ensure that their activities do not undermine the national call for water being experienced by members of our community,” said Dobson. Water restrictions have been instituted by the National Water Commission (NWC) across Kingston and St Andrew, St Thomas, St Mary, Portland, St Ann, and St Catherine to protect depleted reservoirs amid an ongoing severe drought. As of October 11, 2026, the Mona reservoir is at 36.3 per cent capacity, while Hermitage dam stands at 44.9 per cent capacity, leaving both critical facilities severely depleted despite recent rainfall. Under the legal mandate, residents are strictly banned from using NWC-supplied water for any non-essential or unusual activities. Prohibited actions include watering lawns, gardens, and farms; refilling swimming pools or ponds; washing vehicles with a hose; and washing down outdoor surfaces like roadways, pavements, or garages. With no signs of the drought ceasing soon, Water Minister Matthew Samuda recently suggested that stricter regulations could be implemented. Against that backdrop, Dobson explained that the KSAMC issues permits only to event planners who can provide evidence of a private water source. However, she said the corporation recognises residents’ frustration and takes the responsible use of the increasingly scarce resource seriously. “As an authority responsible for granting of permits for events within the municipality, we recognise the importance of exercising our regulatory responsibilities, responsibly in keeping with the national purpose to conserve water. The KSAMC should not knowingly facilitate and even involve in the use of water supplied by the National Water Commission for recreational purposes in circumstances where such is prohibited,” she said. “We have also taken note that the minister’s clarification that the current water prohibition order applies specifically to water supplied by the NWC and that promoters of water-based events are required to provide evidence of their water source where privately sourced water is being used,” added Dobson.