The Water Resources Authority (WRA) was established by the Water Resources Act 1995. Its mandate is to regulate, allocate, conserve and otherwise manage the water resources of Jamaica. It;
- Obtains, compiles, stores and disseminates data concerning the water resources of Jamaica;
- Prepares and updates Jamaica’s Water Resources Master Plan
- Prepares and updates Water Quality Control Plans
- Regulates and Allocates the use of all freshwater resources
- Provides Technical Assistance to any department or agency of Government, in respect of any projects, programmes or activities which relate to the development, conservation and use of water resources.
History
The first organized programme for the systematic collection of streamflow data was initiated by the Water Resources Section of the Public Works Department in 1954. The Water Resources Division was established in 1965 when the Water Resources Section was transferred to the Geological Survey Department in connection with the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) project which was completed in 1973.
