Drought conditions are leaving Claverty Cottage Primary in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains facing a serious water shortage after months without substantial rainfall.

The school has only six students and eight staff members. It has three 1,000-gallon water tanks, but the supply continues to fall.

The last major rainfall that could fill the tanks came in April. Since then, Claverty Cottage Primary has had to carefully ration its water.

Students are also being encouraged to bring drinking water from home.

Principal Julane King-Walker said short showers during the school break did little to help. The rain was not heavy enough to fill even one of the school’s blue drums.

King-Walker estimates the school’s remaining water could last until next month. If the drought continues, Claverty Cottage Primary may need water from distant sources.

Another option would be to truck water several miles through the steep and winding terrain.

King-Walker is hoping for rain before that becomes necessary. However, heavy rain could create another set of problems for the remote community.

The water shortage also affects residents around Claverty Cottage. Community members are trying to repair a damaged water catchment system.

Sixty-year-old Levi Willis is among those helping residents access water. He said about 100 people live in the nearby communities.

Willis and other residents are trying to draw water from the Spanish River, about five miles away. They need hoses and other materials to move the water.

Many residents are older farmers who depend on the area for their livelihoods. Some have left because of poor roads and limited access to water.

The challenges at Claverty Cottage Primary go beyond the drought. The school also has a declining student population.

Many residents have migrated from the community, leaving fewer children in the area. The school currently has no Grade Six class.

There is one student in Grade One, one in Grade Three, two in Grade Four and two in Grade Five.

Administrators say they have not received official notice of any plans to merge Claverty Cottage Primary with another school. However, the institution is reportedly among schools being considered for possible mergers.

For the school and community, rainfall remains a difficult balancing act.

Rain could refill the school’s tanks and help local farmers. But heavy rainfall can damage roads, wash away pipes and trigger landslides.

King-Walker described the situation as a double-edged sword. The community needs rain, but heavy rainfall could leave it cut off.

The Ministry of Education and area Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz are prepared to truck water into the community if conditions become critical.

For now, Claverty Cottage Primary is counting every drop as the drought continues, while residents wait for enough rain to bring relief without causing further damage.