MIYA Water Jamaica (Miya) and the University of Technology Jamaica (UTech) formally signed a memorandum of understanding in July of this year, to establish the MIYA Annual Civil Engineering Scholarship. The scholarship, designed to support aspiring civil engineers at UTech, will provide full tuition coverage for six recipients. As part of this collaborative effort, key representatives from the UTech School of Engineering and Computing recently visited the offices of MIYA Water Jamaica in Portmore, St. Catherine to discuss MIYA’s operations, the innovative technologies employed by the organisation, and to explore opportunities for enhancing the internship component of the scholarship programme.
During the visit, the UTech delegation, comprising Professor Sean Thorpe, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Balvin Thorpe, PhD - Associate Professor & Vice-Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, and Damion Cummings, Lecturer, School of Engineering, engaged in productive discussions with Miya Water Jamaica’s management team and visited various water management facilities in the area. The focus was on understanding the cutting-edge tools and techniques used by Miya in their water management processes, with the aim of better aligning the educational experience of scholarship recipients with industry needs.
The collaboration is expected to enrich the educational journey of the scholarship recipients, providing them with exposure to real-world engineering challenges and the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals. Students will be able to develop their skillset around Non-Revenue Water Reduction which encompasses Active Leak Control, GIS, Hydraulic Modelling, Pressure Management, Metering and other activities.
Katherine Paleracio, Project Manager, Miya Water Jamaica said:
"We have been operating on the island for over 8 years, starting with a 6-year project in the corporate area with the National Water Commission (NWC) to improve water distribution efficiency. In Portmore, over the past 3 years, we have reduced water losses from 26,150 to 13,000 m³/day representing a 50% reduction in Non-Revenue Water (NRW) and a total savings of 13,150 m3/day (2.9 million gallons per day), allowing NWC to redirect 2.75 million gallons of water to neighbouring cities while upholding service levels in Portmore. With our expertise, we are well-equipped to help future civil engineers meet world standards.”
The collaboration is expected to enrich the educational journey of the scholarship recipients, providing them with exposure to real-world engineering challenges and the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals. Students will be able to develop their skillset around Non-Revenue Water Reduction which encompasses Active Leak Control, GIS, Hydraulic Modelling, Pressure Management, Metering and other activities.
Professor
Sean Thorpe, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at UTech, said:
"I’m pleased to have requested this visit and to see firsthand the
exceptional work Miya is doing with state of- the-art equipment and technology.
It’s great to see a balance between theoretical knowledge and practical
application, which is crucial for the overall development of our students at
UTech."