Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby says the National Water Commission (NWC) has formally indicated that it will no longer be providing water quality test results to the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC).

He made the revelation at today’s meeting of the corporation.

During last month’s KSAMC meeting, Councillor Jesse James Clarke, who is also the Opposition junior spokesman on health, moved a resolution in which he called for an end to the distribution of water that does not meet health standards, citing risks to people.

He had raised concern about alleged contaminated water being supplied by the NWC to customers, especially those in rural St. Andrew.

However the NWC maintained that its water is safe for consumption.

At today’s meeting, Mayor Swaby disclosed that since the resolution was passed, the NWC has not attended any meeting of the Corporation’s public health and sanitation committee.

The Mayor noted that he has also heard media reports that the KSAMC owes the NWC about $150 m. 

He said a team has been assigned to investigate these claims.

Mayor Swaby raised question about the timing of the reports about the debt and the concerns raised about water quality.