KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Miya, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arison Investments, signed a $42.5M contract with the National Water Commission (NWC) of Jamaica to maximize the efficiency of its water systems in the KSA (Kingston & Saint Andrew) Area, it was announced today.
The 5-year co-management project focuses on improving KSA’s water distribution system and substantially reducing non-revenue water (NRW), currently estimated at 54%. Within five years, most of the current NRW in the KSA-area systems will be saved, estimated in daily savings of more than 70 million liters of fresh water.
Miya is already active in the Caribbean, running a mega 10-year project in the Bahamas. Starting in 2012, Miya returned the water system to its continuous supply within two years, and cut NRW by more than half. This culminates in savings of 16 million liters every day, enabling water production to be reduced by almost 20%.
Meir Wietchner, Miya’s Chairman: “This partnership sets an example for the entire region on how important it is to manage our water resources efficiently. A holistic solution, such as this, leads to sustainable change that mutually benefits the utility and the citizens it supplies.”
The NWC supplies drinking water to about 600,000 residents in KSA. One of the main targets of this unique co-management project is to build professional NRW capacity within NWC, while increasing the system efficiency. The project is fully funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and includes performance based fees, which will be paid only if contract targets are achieved.
David Arison, Miya’s Vice President of Global Business Relations: “We hope and believe that the Miya-NWC project will be the beginning of an extended partnership, and will serve as an exemplary project for all the Parishes in Jamaica. Getting to know NWC’s team, we are certain that together we will achieve the level of commitment and professionalism needed for a successful project. Executing this project is practicing sustainability in its purest form. The results of this project will benefit the environment, the financial position of NWC and most importantly the citizens of KSA.”
The project includes a comprehensive suite of water efficiency solutions, incorporating strategic and financial planning, based on efficiency audits of NRW. This will be followed by a water infrastructure improvement phase devised specifically for the area, including the monitoring of water pressure, locating leaks, repairing or replacing selective pipes, and ultimately (after 5 years) handing over responsibility to NWC staff, who will continue to maintain high levels of system efficiency for the long-run.
Amit Horman, Miya’s CEO: “Miya believes in the Caribbean market and continues to expand its operation in the territory. Our success in The Bahamas opens the eyes of other governments and water utilities in the region, with respect to the hidden value of water efficiency. We will keep striving for excellence in the planning and execution of such projects.”
In cooperation with the Jamaican government and NWC, Miya is planning to involve the local community in water conservation education programs, equipping people with tools such as a new Smartphone application that improves the connection between citizens and the water authority.
