Damage to a critical pipeline, the major 33" Rio Cobre-Tulloch Spring Water Transmission Main along the Mandela Highway in St Andrew yesterday has led to water disruptions in sections of the Corporate Area.

The damage, which was caused by major road-improvement activities taking place under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme, occurred in the vicinity of the Mandela Highway intersection with Tom Cringle Drive, where pile-driving activities were under way.

"A joint team, including representatives of the supervisory consultants, roadworks contractor China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), subcontractors, as well as the National Works Agency (NWA) and the National Water Commission (NWC) have already visited the location and have initiated preparatory works to enable access to the pipeline to effect emergency repairs in the shortest possible time," the NWC said in a statement.

"In the interim, despite being damaged, the pipeline continues to be used to transmit water to serve areas, including sections of Portmore and other parts of St Catherine as well as parts of the Corporate Area of Kingston and St Andrew such as Spanish Town Road, Marcus Garvey Drive, Molynes Road, Washington Boulevard, and sections of downtown Kingston."

The NWC said that it is expected that the pipeline would be shut down to effect emergency repairs as soon as the excavations and other preparatory works have been completed.

"As at this time, the work is expected to take place over the weekend. Especially in view of the other challenges to the water-supply network in the Corporate Area, every effort is being made to keep the period of shut-down on the Rio Cobre-Tulloch Spring Transmission Main to an absolute minimum," the NWC said.