This newly emerged spring in Montpellier, St James, looks inviting but the authorities warn that caution must be exercised when using the water. Photo: Jamaica Observer

One popular watering hole is nestled in a corner of the under-construction Montego Bay bypass in mud- and silt-covered West Green. An inviting pool in Seven Rivers beckoned many after the storm, completely taking over a large chunk of what was once a major thoroughfare.

The springs have been a source of hydration and wonder, with some even floating the idea that the more breathtaking ones may become tourist attractions. But according to managing director of the Water Resources Authority (WRA) Peter Clarke, the springs will not last and caution should be exercised when using them.

“It was just a lot of rain that fell and went into the ground and it has to come out somewhere,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“It’s going to draw, it’s going to draw fast,” Clarke assured.

He acknowledged that the springs have come in handy.

“[People] are short of water and the water is there; but once the water levels underground draw down to their normal depth, then I don’t expect that those springs will be there,” Clarke said.

“It’s just because the ground is well-saturated now so the water table is very high,” he continued.

In St James there are significantly noticeable new springs in Montpellier, Cornwall, and Granville, in addition to smaller ones within the western parish. They have become life-savers for many individuals who have had to turn to them for water as the national water distribution systems take time to get back on course due to challenges associated with the passage of the storm.

On any given day, scores of individuals can be seen armed with jugs and other containers collecting water for their daily needs. There is also the return of an old-time tradition of washing clothes in these new water sources as individuals make do with their current circumstances.

However, Clarke cautioned that the water emerging from these makeshift springs is not necessarily safe for consumption.

“If just up from where the spring is, a man has a house with a pit toilet, I wouldn’t recommend [the people] drink it because what it would mean is that his pit toilet is filled as well and is now draining,” he warned. “Also [do not use the spring] if farming is being done in the top part there.”

He stressed that in order to get to the surface the water has to pass through the soil which may be contaminated.

“Remember, it is water that has soaked into the ground. So while it can be used for minor domestic purposes, I wouldn’t just go there and drink it and say this is lovely spring water. Those things have to be tested,” said Clarke.

The WRA head noted that treating the water offers some measure of protection for people using it.

“For all intents and purposes, if you boil it, then you should be fine,” he said.

According to Clarke, springs have surfaced beyond the areas most severely impacted by Melissa.

“Even right now in St Andrew… it’s a river running down the Newcastle Road. If you go down to Spur Tree, the whole of that hillside right there, water springing out of it,” he stated.

He said while the flowing water may be dramatic and, in some areas, persistent, it is unlikely to represent a new long-term water source.

“It might last longer than somewhere else but I wouldn’t put any money into investing into any attractions,” Clarke said.