Since February 27, 2013, residents of Gittensdale in Glencoe have been without a reliable supply of water. For over eight days, taps have been bone dry, with water only making its way up the hill for no more than 15 minutes at a time. Some residents were thankful for a supply of truck-borne water, but this evaporated in no time.

Officials at WASA (Water and Sewerage Authority) are either not aware of the situation or pretend to be oblivious to this disaster. WASA personnel who are responsible for turning on the water supply in the area are negligent. They seem completely uninterested in whether the supply is reaching households, and they frequently turn off the supply before water tanks can be filled for the ensuing periods of man-made drought.

Imagine, in this day and age, water is rationed. This is unconscionable for two reasons. Firstly, the La Horquette Valley Road is a patchwork of leaks which WASA workmen must repair on a weekly basis. The water mains along this road are in dire need of replacement or upgrade. This will ensure that water reaches residents' taps and not the drains and gutters along the roads.

Secondly, a minister has been appointed recently to manage the nation's water resources. This is his sole responsibility, and thus far, his ministry has not made any improvements in the supply of water. If an entire community does not have a supply of water for over a week when there is no discernible water shortage on the island and his ministry is unaware of this, something is very wrong.

Customers who pay their WASA bills must have a right to a regular supply of water and should be able to demand better service from the staff at WASA.

A Ajim 

via e-mail