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Hi everyone
I'm coming to Negril for the first time in almost a month and I have been reading on trip advisor that there is a drought in Negril right now. I thought I would ask here as the information seemed confusing. Will this be something that will last a long time and will it effect me at the Seastar Inn, where I'm staying? I've been reading here for a long time and very excited. Any advice is appreciated.
I just returned from Negril on Friday Feb 24. Yes there has been a druaght th epast 8 weeks or so. Because of the lack of rain, there are more fires burning than usual. The result is some smoke in the air some days. It had little or no effect on our trip.
Other than some small areas effected at this time each year...this is nothing unusual. Earlier this month the Parish Council for Westmoreland & Hanover each received money for the water trucks in the drought effected areas....Negril is not one of the areas.
This is kind of funny as we were discussing the TA post with a property owner up near the Lighthouse (where I also lived for almost 5 years)....he's in the neighborhood that is mentioned in the TA post & he just laughed at the whole thread...he wouldn't even call it a drought.
As he and I discussed this happens each year at this time because it's not rainy season and everyone prepares for this. The water pressure is low during the day so everyone has storage tanks to accommodate the low water pressure...these tanks are very inexpensive and fill up at night when the water pressure increases.
Sooncome....you'll have no worries at any hotel in Negril including the Seastar Inn.
The recent fires around Negril are mainly cane fires which are again common this time of year during cane harvesting season.
there will be a shortage of fresh "special" mushrooms also.........
we had the same thing two years ago and it was much worse.......
when I was there the end of April two years ago wi didn't have but one quick shower......
which was unheard of........and mi stayed at SeaStar Inn and wi had plenty of wata.......
that is one thing you don't have to worry about at SeaStar.......
wata and current........Chris the owner has both of those covered.....big tanks and generator
Cool Runnings, Marko
Been coming here this time of year since '88 (cause it's the dry season). Got here 1/26 & seen more rain in Negril than I can remember for this time of year including today as I speak. Leaving 3/1 & I'm sure I'll see more.
Soon Come - to answer your question, the water situation in Negril should be better by then. Either way, staying in a hotel you would not even notice drought conditions. Truth is, when you come lots of folks will have left already - those first few weeks of February are very, very busy and that affects the water distribution in Negril in general, especially in the residential neighborhoods.
Starting about 2 weeks ago the water in our yard and others' yards on our part of West End Road started to dribble. Then it stopped running altogether. Now, this is something that is NOT new - when it gets crazy busy in town as it does in Negril the first weeks of February the water company actually diverts the water to the beach first, leaving the West End neighborhoods high and dry.
I was at my friend's shop across the street from my yard and the radio announcer said "drought conditions in Western Jamaica". So, it was on the news even. That's why I aid "drought conditions" - it's what the radio guy said. Seriously - that explains why, after 2 weeks, the water is still either not coming out of the taps or barely coming out of the taps in my neighborhood.
In talking with folks it seems the situation is getting better over the past couple of days. At the time I made the post though it was pretty bad. Lisa - if you read my TA post I do mention that this happens every year (as I have in this post, above) but you're statement "so everyone has storage tanks to accommodate the low water pressure...these tanks are very inexpensive and fill up at night when the water pressure increases." - that's a bit, out of touch? I have neighbors that have 5,000 gallon tanks - the hotels and resorts certainly do - but many of my neighbors do not. I'm pretty sure the man you were talking to and laughing with has at least one tank on his property. But even still - 2 weeks, 5,000 gallons, several people living in a yard...unless you get water trucked in (spendy!) you'd be pretty S.O.L. by the middle of the second week.
At the beginning of the season we went many weeks without a drop of rain. The buzz was always, where's the rain, where's the rain? We need the rain! We were crunching on leaves, seeing burnt plants in the bush...Maybe it isn't as bad as after Hurricane Ivan (didn't rain for what, 9 months after the storm? We had dust in our yard, not grass!) or the drought Marko keeps talking about that was island-wide and pretty darn bad, especially on the Eastern part of the island...Believe me, my other home is in a water scarce area of Northern California - if it doesn't rain by May it won't until October.
The post I made on TripAdvisor was to bring awareness to folks visiting and staying at the hotels and resorts there that you can actually help out in a situation like this:
1. Ask housekeeping NOT to change your sheets every day or provide fresh towels
2. Don't ask the resort or hotel to do your laundry for you
3. Don't run the sink while you brush your teeth, shave or wash your face
4. Take 1 shower a day - the temptation to take more in hot humid weather can be overwhelming, believe me I know! But stick to one.
A few simple measures taken by everyone regarding conservation can only help. As residents of this planet we all need to become more aware of resource conservation - here's your opportunity to try it out. Just because it happens every year, this year is a bit worse with the lack of rain...the duration longer, the water more non-existent - that's why I chose to post about it on TA.
I find the reaction to this and the post on Trip Advisor interesting. Most are more than willing to learn and live and share amongst others. A few choose to mock and "know better". Me - I share information I consider to be important and offer up solutions that we all can handle. I don't need to be "right" and I don't need to be "listened to". I don't need anything - what you do as citizens of the globe is up to each of you individually. We all share a planet.
Peace.
PS: Rooster - agreed. When I got back from New York it was wild how the weather had changed! Late January and early February were always pretty much clear skies, no rain - but in the past five years or so I've noticed that trend changing and some of the diciest weather (rain-wise, wind, high seas) seems to occur during that time now. And...two days after I came back to Cali the temperature here was the same as it was in Negril! Global Warming anyone?
when you go through drought as I did growing up in California, you learn about water conservation. These lessons I learned many years ago have stuck with me as life long practices. I can't help but speak up when I see friend who washes dishes with the water running continuously--regardless of where I am or how much water is available, it just seems reckless. I remember showering when you had to just get wet, turn it off and soap and shampoo up and then rinse. We had to let our lawns and gardens die. I don't think I will ever take water for granted.
Thanks for this useful post rastagirl777, people should always think about conserving water/energy no matter where they are. Sometimes its hard coming from a place like Canada (speaking for myself) where everything is in such abundance, but its so so important.
the same water situation exists in other parts of jamaica, perhaps even worse . . . for instance, in the hills of portland, the ppl may get water out of the pipe 1 out every 5 days for a few hours, that's it!!! . . .
those tanks are not "very inexpensive", they are "VERY EXPENSIVE" for the regular folks and a lot of folks do have them and even more don't have them!! . . . so, negril is not the only place that suffers from shortage of water in jamaica.
as a frequent traveller to jamaica, i'm always conscious of my use of water and try to do my best to conserve.
RG,
Your post on TA is misleading and is leading to confusion. The title, "Heads Up - Serious Drought Conditions in Western Jamaica" does not represent the truth of the situation. Perhaps if you had listened more closely to the radio announcer you mentioned, you would have known that what Bnewb (Lisa) says is correct. There are a few drought effected areas of Western Jamaica - but no drought in Western Jamaica as you stated above.
There is an article in the Observer two weeks ago ( http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...on-for-drought ) where the parish councils received ja$3,000,000 (less than us$36,000) in response to requests made by the Westmoreland and Hanover parish councils to support remedial drought action in specific areas of the parishes. How much of a "serious condition" can this be if the Jamaican government can solve these isolated problems for less than us$36,000? And it is interesting to note that the article clearly states that none of the effected areas are covered by the water company. Negril is most certainly not one of those drought-affected areas.
Some of your comments here are also incorrect and misleading. What in the world makes you think that "the water company actually diverts the water to the beach first, leaving the West End neighborhoods high and dry"? This would be against the law. Those responsible would be jailed. The truth of the matter is that the beach is closer to the water plant and the West End is farther from the water plant. Simple logic dictates that when the water pressure is low, those areas closest to the water plant will receive water before the ones farthest away. This has nothing to do with any diversion by anyone at the water company but has to do with the laws of physics. Not only is your statement incorrect, but to make such an assertion is libelous.
There has been rumors going around Negril for years that the diversion is happening. And they have just as much validity as the comments you made last year about hearing that the A/I's had run hidden sewage pipes out to the reef or the years old construction in front of the Issa owned Negril Beach Villas being part of the Stewart backed "jetty project" which is still just a proposal and has not been implemented. You may choose to believe in the grand conspiracies - but the truth is always much easier and more logical to understand.
I am puzzled as to why you think Bnewb's (Lisa's) comments are out of touch. Lisa has lived here for 5 years. That is 5 years longer than you have. That is 5 years all year round - not just visiting as a tourist like you do. She has lived for 5 years on the West End in the same area that you stay during your visits during the winter. She is intimately in touch with the situation in the neighborhood where you stay when you are in Negril. It seems to me that you are the one who may be out of touch. Water storage tanks are inexpensive. And why would anyone need a 5000 gallon tank? Those are designed for industrial usage.
According to the Gleaner in an article about water storage for times when the water is unavailable - "the average households usually opt for 400-gallon tanks, which along with the 600-gallon tanks are the fastest sellers. These tanks can satisfy the needs of a 5-6 member households adequately in normal situations."
The cost for these 400 gallon tanks are very inexpensive, and if a household can afford a house, then they will be able to afford to have a tank should the water pressure become an issue for them. The cost of a 400 gallon tank is around ja$14,000 (us$164). Monthly electric bills can run that high.
There are households that choose not to use storage tanks for many reasons. I am sure that not wanting to spend the money can be a factor. But in truth, there has only been running water in the homes in many areas of Jamaica for less than two generations now. Many households just do not consider the storage tanks as a serious issue, they deal with the water problems when they occur. Jamaica is a developing country and droughts and other water issues do occur. But if a family can afford having a home, then the additional cost of a storage tank would not be much of an issue for them.
Regarding these storage tanks, they can be filled from one of the many water trucks that service Negril. For the average size tank (400 gal), the trucks will come out and fill them for about ja$2000 (or us$23). But there is virtually no need to have to pay for this at all. At night, when the water usage in Negril goes down, the water pressure increases in the system. The West End will once again have water pressure and the tanks will fill up on their own with water from the water company.
I was there when Lisa was talking with a property owner yesterday and they were discussing your TA post. The views that Lisa posted here are shared by this business owner, who grew up in Negril and has lived here his entire life. I find it strange that you can claim that someone who grew up here as well as someone who has lived here for 5 years are "out of touch", when you only visit for short periods of time.
The conservation ideas you posted are great and are also posted in virtually every room in each hotel and resort in Negril. They are part of the conservation education that was instituted by the Jamaica Tourist Board years ago. These ideas are now becoming common sense guidelines as people become more aware. Reposting this information is fine and always helpful, but to use a sensationalized drought title to present these basic ideas is extremely misleading and can confuse visitors as to the reality of the situation as happened here with sooncome. Using the title can also take away from the fact that serious droughts can occur and have occurred in the past.
Thanks Rob....very informative, and well written...
I prefer my beer on draught, oh wait that's different :-)
:D:pQuote:
Originally Posted by Ras Walleye
what happened to rg's response? it was here one minute and now it's gone . . . actually, it was very informative . . .
Recommended listening music as you read this thread:
Johnny Osbourne - Water Pumping
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUSDDc4Pnmw
:)
It was removed as it did not follow the guidelines that were agreed to when the account was registered.Quote:
Originally Posted by JitterBug
Hi Rob,
Thanks for posting the price of a 400 gal tank. I'm going to get one for the house spot.
There's no problem with water at the yard or in Negril either for that matter....
I can't figure out where this stuff starts????
I heard the sky was falling. Can anyone confirm?
Very interesting reading for sure. I generally don't use Trip Advisor much but when I was googling something I came across this article:
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Travel-g14....Visitors.html
which states:
Travelers to Negril should be prepared for-- unavoidable poverty, limited environmental controls: uncollected garbage alongside the roads, raw sewage pumped directly into the ocean, and enormous resorts that have been built as a hindrance too the long term ability of this area to self-sustain.
How can they get away with saying this? I'm more apt to believe Rob than TripAdvisor, but can't they get sued or something by making such statements?
Very good question.
TripAdvisor is an company that is operated out of Newton, Massachusetts. They have no paid working personnel in any of the destinations that they have listed on their site. They rely only on the public to provide information about these destinations. The link that you posted is a prefect example. There is a link on that page that says "Edit this page". This means that anyone at all is able to edit the page, very similar to Wikipedia. Both TripAdvisor's and Wikipedia's validity needs to be taken into account.
The validity of Wikipedia has often come under attack by academics as being shoddy and full of inaccuracies. even by its creators. Jimmy Wales, who created Wikipedia said in reference to college students citing Wikipedia in their reseach papers “They say, ‘Please help me. I got an F on my paper because I cited Wikipedia’” and the information turned out to be wrong, he says. But he said he has no sympathy for their plight, noting that he thinks to himself: “For God sake, you’re in college; don’t cite the encyclopedia.”
TripAdvisor is similar as it is full of information posted by essentially anonymous Internet volunteers who write without pay. The site is full of inaccuracies. One of my favorites regarding Negril was found by Bnewb who is one of TripAdvisor's destination experts for Negril. Under the TA Top 25 Things To Do in Negril section, they list the M/Y Zein as number 22. In a small link below the "attraction", if you click, it says that M/Y Zein has been renamed and is no longer in Jamaica it is in the Galapagos Islands. This was added only on February 17th of this year, even though the Zein was relocated to Ecuador in 2006, 6 years ago. Yet, TA still lists it as the number 22 things to do in Negril! Bnewb first mentioned this problem to TripAdvisor back in 2009, and no action was taken to correct the inaccuracy.
Bnewb, as one of the Destination Experts for Negril on TripAdvisor has been trying for years to correct the more misleading posts and reviews on TA. But she is just one person. There are several regular posters on TA (two with over 25,000 posts between them - or 10 posts every single day since October of 2005), who insist on posting incorrect, outdated information and passing off rumors and speculation as facts. Bnewb finds the task of correcting all the wrong information daunting. But she still does what she can as she did here and on TA regarding Rastagril777's misleading post on TA about a drought in Negril when there isnt one.
TripAdvisor does solicit businesses to pay for their listings, offering some basic incentives to those who pay them. TripAdvisor is owned by Expedia, a internet based travel agency. So they are far from an impartial source of information. TripAdvisor manages and operates websites under 18 other travel media brands, www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn.
As long as Expedia makes money which they do no matter what destinations are sold, they really have very little interest in the accuracy or validity of the information they provide on their various websites about any one destination. But hopefully this will be changing as they are involved in lawsuits and governmental actions.
Just a few stories are below:
TOURISM INDUSTRY PREPARES MASSIVE INTERNET DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST TRIPADVISOR.COM
http://www.aaronkellylaw.com/interne...ipadvisor-com/
Hotelier sues TripAdvisor after accusations she wrote fake positive reviews causes revenue to plummet by 75%
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1nmr09imb
700 Hotels On TripAdvisor Mull Over Lawsuit
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_737809.html
And on February 2nd of 2012, a British advertising group forced TripAdvisor to remove statements such as "more than 50 million honest travel reviews and opinions from real travellers around the world" and "reviews that you can trust" since they cannot possibly verify the information posted.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/tripadvisor-rapped-by-british-advertising-watchdog/story-e6frfq80-1226260234816#ixzz1nmsM23IK
As for Negril.com, it is no secret that we are a Negril based website for promoting Negril and Jamaica. We aim to provide the best information available on the internet to help our visitors have the best time possible. That is why we take the time and effort to limit the rumors and speculation and other inaccuracies that do nothing but mislead and misinform visitors.
Are we unbaised? Of course not. But we do have a vested interest in making sure the truth is on Negril.com so that our visitors know what is actually happening. To allow false information or to hide anything could put Negril.com in jeopardy should any of our visitors be given the wrong information.
That was a very good question indeed!
thank you Rob for that
I just responded to someone's post on TA - gave them my opinions and my thoughts about a hotel that I stayed at and got slashed by a so-called expert telling me I didnt know what I was saying and telling the poster something different. Then he comes back and says " I was just stating what is written on the hotels website" He has never even stayed there and is telling people not to go there! Unbelievable.
Oh - and now this so called expert on TA is telling people to go to resorts that are closed....just too much
^ sounds like the actions of a 'pirate'
LOL, it's the internet folks - trust no one!
But you can "see the internet", its just like a newspaper, if its printed it MUST be right.......:)
Oh dear, I didn't mean to come in and cause problems and I'm sorry as this seems to have happened.
I was just a little nervous after the information was reported on TA and I thought there might be a concern with forest fires and such. I don't know the lay of the land yet.
Thank you Rob for your wealth of information. This topic is still going on in TA and I'm not impressed by TA nor the person who originally posted it and the mean spirited comments by this same person. That might upset them, but as someone coming down to Jamaica for the first time it was confusing and ridiculous and I think most of us have known about water conservation since childhood, no?
Again, sorry that I brought this over here. From now on, I'll be only asking the fine people on this board for any information I might need and I know I'll get a proper explanation and the truth.
Thanks Rob, I would have never thought the actual articles on TripAdvisor were just as likely to be as inaccurate as the reviews. You'd think a company with so much money and resources could be bothered to fact check!