Copyright jis
The St. James Public Health Department is collecting water samples from various sources across the parish as part of efforts to ensure that residents have access to clean and safe drinking water in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Acting Chief Public Health Inspector, Sherika Lewis, said the department is carrying out field inspections on water sources that emerged or were affected during the hurricane. “There is great concern about the quality of the water that is being utilised in the parish by way of springs, tributaries and other sources. Some sources have actually popped up during the hurricane and we want to ensure that the populace of St. James is protected from waterborne diseases,” Miss Lewis told JIS News following an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) meeting at the St. James Municipal Corporation on Thursday (November 6). She said the department will be sending the collected samples to the National Public Health Laboratory in Kingston for further testing and analysis. Miss Lewis is appealing to residents to boil or treat water with bleach before consumption and to exercise caution when collecting water from untreated sources. She also urged water truck operators to collaborate with the health department to ensure that safe water is being distributed throughout the parish. “Let us work together so that clean, safe water can be distributed to the populace,” she said. Miss Lewis emphasised that ensuring access to safe water remains a priority area for the department as recovery efforts continue across the parish. During the EOC meeting, several agencies gave updates on post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.
