Hurricane Melissa Response

Waves For Water humbly comes back to our network of trusted friends, colleagues, and family in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, an unprecedented Category 5 storm that made landfall in Jamaica and ravaged infrastructure, water systems, and communities. We are still receiving information from the small island nation, and it seems that access to clean, safe drinking water is now a life-critical need, which is the lifeblood of Waves For Water. The storm brought catastrophic winds of up to 185 mph, storm surge of up to 13 feet, and widespread flooding and landslides across the island.

With roads blocked, power out to hundreds of thousands of homes, and water sources compromised, thousands of Jamaicans are at heightened risk of waterborne illness, isolation, and prolonged recovery.

Waves For Water, working in coordination with local relief partners and community/regional leaders in Jamaica, is launching an emergency clean-water mission to bring relief to the hardest-hit regions. Through deployment of portable water filtration systems and community education, we aim to restore access to safe drinking water, especially in remote or isolated areas where the damage to conventional water infrastructure is severe.

Implementation Plan

Phase 1: Rapid Deployment of Clean Water Systems (Weeks 1-2) Mobilize Waves For Water response teams to Jamaica, equipped with portable water-filtration units and support materials. In coordination with local partners identify key distribution points such as schools, community centers, shelters, and remote villages cut off by flood damage. Set up clean-water stations and distribute individual filters to families in urgent need.

Phase 2: Community Training and Education (Weeks 3-4) Conduct on-site training sessions with local volunteers, community leaders and families on proper use and maintenance of filtration systems. Roll out educational campaigns on water safety, hygiene practices and sanitation in the aftermath of storm damage.

Phase 3: Continuous Support and Monitoring (Weeks 5-8) Continue to assess water-access conditions across the impacted areas, including follow-up visits to ensure filtration systems are functioning and being maintained. Provide additional support or replacements as needed. Report progress to stakeholders and integrate lessons learned into longer-term water-security planning.

Expected Outcomes

• Thousands of residents in Jamaica’s hardest hit regions will regain reliable access to safe drinking water in the immediate-to-short term.
• Local communities will be equipped with trained individuals, filtration systems, and hygiene education so that clean-water access becomes more sustainable throughout the recovery period.
• Critical health risks associated with water-borne diseases during the post-storm recovery will be reduced, easing pressure on local healthcare systems and improving resilience.
• The filtration systems deployed are built for durability—capable of filtering large volumes of water and intended to provide lasting benefit even after the immediate relief phase ends.
• By empowering local communities with the tools, training and partnerships needed, the project helps build resilience against future water-infrastructure shocks.