THE NATIONAL Water Commission (NWC) has been saving US$8 million (J$1.16 billion) per year since implementing a Non-Revenue Water (NRW) programme in Kingston and St Andrew.

The US$42.5-million five-year programme is being implemented by the NWC with international water-efficiency co-management partner Miya Jamaica, and is aimed at reducing non-revenue water by more than 30 per cent.

Country manager for Miya Jamaica Limited, Alvaro Ramalho, said the company has so far managed to reduce losses by a third, or from 60 per cent to 40 per cent, through the project, which is now in its final year.

Ramalho acknowledged that while the metering of some communities in Kingston was a challenge, the NWC was still able to retain revenue through leak detection and repairs.

President of NWC, Mark Barnett, said the utility company has got political buy-in for the project over time.