We can always depend on them

Discovery Bauxite has increased the supply of water to schools and communities in its operating areas, in response to current drought conditions across the island. A release from the company noted that several schools in the Dry Harbour and Discovery Bay areas of St Ann, which depend on rainwater catchment for their water resources, have been severely affected.

Community Relations Superintendent Kent Skyers says that, in recent weeks, the company has been supplying water just to keep the institutions open, at a rate of thousands of gallons per day.

“Our mining area is in the Dry Harbour Mountains, which is a traditional drought-affected area. Sharing our water resources has always been a regular function of our community outreach, but this year is looking up to maybe being one of the driest seasons I have ever seen.”

Principal of Alva Primary and Infant School, Claudine Brown-Bartley, said that the school was grateful to Discovery Bauxite for supplying the school with water.

“We can always depend on them”, she said. “It is like a miracle, as soon as we are low on water, the truck turns up, and we cannot say thanks enough.”

Watt Town Primary’s Principal Suzette Crighton, Linton Park Primary’s Arlene Clarke-Dunbar, and the Charlton Primary, have also written letters of appreciation from their school communities.

Skyers says the company’s water trucks are on a constant trek not only delivering water but also carrying out their primary function of dampening the mines’ haul roads to control dust and protect the environment.

“The potable water we deliver to cases of need, including schools, clinics, and indigent persons, as well as persons close to any dust escape areas, comes from our Discovery Bay wells and load-out facility located at the plant.The water is transported by the company on our 15-mile railway or by road to the mining headquarters at Water Valley.”

The water for dampening the haul roads is trucked by hired contractors from an 8-million gallon reservoir that was constructed in November 2020.

“The company’s contribution to alleviating water needs in its mining area is significant”, said Skyers. “One must also consider that we have constructed four 3 million gallon reservoirs to service four greenhouse clusters at Burnt Ground, Tobolski, Watt Town and Nine Miles”.

Gibraltar Primary, Alva Primary, Nine Miles Infant, Madras Primary, Watt Town Primary, Lime Tree Gardens Primary, Retirement Primary, Linton Park Primary, Charlton Primary, Aboukir High, Aabuthnott Gallimore High Schools and the technical campus of the Brown’s Town Community College are some of the institutions being helped.

The company has also been supplying water to community tanks, clinics, police stations and water stations, the release notes. These facilities have been put in place by the company in mining area communities including Water Valley, Rosetta, Glasgow, Lime Tree Gardens, Nine Miles, Linton Park, Gibraltar, Somerton, Friendship , Bristol and Fullerton Park.

The districts of Keith, Content, Brown Piece, Discovery Bay, Farm Town and Thicketts have also been assisted with tank supplies by the company.