Pit latrines biggest risk to Jamaica’s water supply, warns Samuda

Western Bureau

Matthew Samuda, minister of water, climate change and the environment, has described backyard pit latrines in high water-table communities as among the greatest environmental risks to Jamaica’s groundwater supply.

Speaking at Friday’s Rotaract Nexus 360 District 7020 Conference in Trelawny, Samuda cautioned against the practice. Though largely absent from public debate, pit latrines pose a serious long-term threat to water security, public health, and national development, he argued.

“Jamaica’s water table, especially along the south coast and in towns like Falmouth and Port Maria, is particularly high. Backyard pits significantly increase nitrate leakage into groundwater, making it unusable. This creates enormous pressure in an age of climate change, where reduced water availability is already a reality,” Samuda explained.

Groundwater, which lies beneath the earth’s surface, has long been vulnerable to contamination from backyard pits. As sewage seeps through the soil into underground aquifers, it can pollute drinking-water supplies, rendering them unsafe, and, in some cases, forcing the Government to abandon affected wells.

A backyard pit, commonly referred to as a pit latrine, is a basic sanitation system in which human waste is deposited into a hole dug in the ground. Though widely used in rural communities and areas without sewer connections, environmental experts warn that poorly located or improperly managed pits can contaminate groundwater, particularly where water tables are high.

 Samuda stressed that the issue is not only environmental but also economic, noting that inadequate sanitation infrastructure constrains growth.

“It’s often said the road to development is a road, but beneath that road must be potable water and sewage pipes. Without sewage infrastructure, you inhibit growth prospects while risking future water supply,” he said.

He added that wastewater management rarely receives the political attention it deserves despite its importance.

“The cost of sewage projects is massive, but they are among the most critical investments a country can make. Much like prisons, they don’t make headlines when you cut the ribbon, but neglecting them creates crises.”

Samuda identified parishes such as Trelawny and St Mary, along with other low-lying coastal zones, as particularly vulnerable. High groundwater levels in these areas increase the likelihood of contamination spreading from pit latrines into drinking-water sources.

He also highlighted ongoing efforts to expand wastewater capacity, including plans to upgrade the Soapberry Treatment Plant, which serves Kingston and St Andrew.

“Moving Soapberry from secondary to tertiary treatment will significantly improve outcomes. Jamaica will be going to the market to find a partner to expand capacity and modernise treatment systems,” he said, revealing that the Government will seek a partner to divest the facility and upgrade its operations this financial year.

 Samuda linked the sanitation challenge to climate change, warning that irregular rainfall patterns would intensify pressure on groundwater resources.

“The bigger pollution issue that keeps me up at night is effluent discharge and air quality. These are not always visible, but they carry the deepest risks,” he noted, urging greater national attention to sewage infrastructure, particularly in rural areas where pit latrines remain widespread.

 albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com