Threats to Jamaica's water resources

Jamaica Observer: Researchers said Tuesday that Jamaica's water resources could be adversely affected by climate change if the appropriate legislative measures were not put in place to protect the sector, and adequate financial resources provided for it. The Dr Anthony Chen-led Climate Studies Group Mona (CSGM), in a report released at Tuesday's National Water Sector Adaptation Strategy Workshop at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston, projected that the quantity of water the island now enjoys could be significantly reduced over the next 50 to 80 years.

At the same time, another research group said the water quality could be undermined by increased flooding associated with the changing climate and the attendant sewage run-off due to improper housing developments and a lack of proper waste water sewage disposal systems. "We are not dealing with a magic wand," said Eleanor Jones - managing director of Environmental Solutions Limited (ESL) - as she underscored the need to have existing legislation enforced, while at the same time attracting the resources necessary to ensuring their preservation over the long term.

Hydrologist and consultant, Dr Mark Futter, also pointed to the need for additional resources for the water sector, especially given the need to retain the expertise required to manage water resources, such as watersheds. He said, too, that there was need for continued research into the status of the island's water quantity and quality….

Mangroves on the Black River, the widest river in Jamaica, shot by "Stuffreak," Wikimedia Commons, nder the terms of the GNU Free Documentation license, Version 1.2