page_title: Water resources management in Jamaica
section_title: Hydroelectricity
hierarchical_section_title: Water resources management in Jamaica / Water resources management by sector / Hydroelectricity
caption_attribution_description: English: Tourists climb the falls, holding hands and following the direction of guides for safety.
context_page_description: The management of Jamaica's freshwater resources is primarily the domain and responsibility of the National Water Commission. The duties of providing service and water infrastructure maintenance for rural communities across Jamaica are shared with the Parish Councils. Where possible efficiencies have been identified, the NWC has outsourced various operations to the private sector.
  Water supplies are adequate to meet the demands of all sectors; however, the supplies are not located close to where most of the population lives. This has created inconsistent delivery of water to the citizens and has fostered new efforts at improving the water delivery systems of Jamaica. Other challenges include the lack of clear communication and effective coordination between the relevant water management institutions, however, efforts are being made here as well to improve on this deficiency.
  Physical water resources in Jamaica consist of ample groundwater captured in both limestone and alluvial aquifers and many important rivers that provide a good source of water for the agriculture communities of the rural highlands and coastal lowlands.
context_section_description: Jamaica was one of the first countries in the world to install a hydroelectricity plant, its first being located just outside Spanish Town in the 1890s. Currently there are nine hydroelectricity plants ranging from 0.2MW to 6MW with an overall generating capacity of 23 MW installed in Jamaica. There is a potential for the installation of at least an additional 30 MW of hydroelectric capacity in Jamaica. With the continued increase in global oil prices, hydroelectric power has become a priority for Jamaica, and they are now more competitive in this arena.
caption: Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Ríos.
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