In a release on Tuesday, the utility company said business at two separate NWC waste-water facilities in St Catherine had been severely disadvantaged.

"Ongoing work by a contractor working on behalf of the com-mission in Portmore was disrupted on February 18 by persons who descended on the work site making certain demands," the release stated. "As a result of this incident, damage was caused to two electricity poles and the facility was without electricity for about 24 hours."

According to the NWC, the Jamaica Fire Brigade was called in to put out the fire and a report was made to the police.

Normal operations at the Portmore waste-water ponds have since been restored.

In a separate incident on February 19, operations at another NWC facility were also affected. Unscrupulous persons cut along the base of a pump and removed it from the Angels Pumping Station, also in St Catherine. This incident was also reported to the police.