Residents of Plum Road, Manzanilla say they have not been receiving a pipe-borne water supply for months but are receiving WASA bills which they are refusing to pay until the service improves.
”It is like a ghost service, collecting money and no service,” one resident complained
The residents want WASA to reopen the water springs in their area. Spokesperson Garvin Lezama said last year they only got water in their taps 30 times out of 365 days and only for two hours giving residents very little time to fill their water tanks.
“We love the rain because it fills our tanks and thank God for this,” he said.
He said those who can afford to buy water pay $400 to fill a 3,000-gallon tank.
Lezama said he has been in regular contact with WASA officials and has also written and spoken with an official of the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) about the lack of a water supply to the village. He said he received a text message from the acting CEO of WASA who said he took note of Lezama’s concerns and will investigate the supply situation.
One of the residents, Matthew Cuffie, said he has been living in the area for more than 45 years and they never had water problems because there were two springs which provided water to the village. However, in 2001 WASA stopped the villagers from accessing springs in Plum Road claiming the water was unsafe for consumption.
He said villagers had been using the water from the springs for years and never got ill.
“We are strong and healthy People began getting sick because of the poor supply of WASA pipe-borne water, leaving them with household chores incomplete, no regular bathing, washing and flushing of toilets,” Cuffie said.
Cuffie said in 2005 area was connected to WASA and since then they have been experiencing water problems.
Ramadhar Rambaran, who has been living in Plum Road all his life, said his family of nine is badly affected by the supply problem because the water pressure is so low that it seldom gets to his home.
He said WASA installed a booster pump opposite the Manzanilla gas station but the problem got worse.
The villagers are appealing to WASA to supply water at least twice a week 24 hours. They are also calling for the intervention of Marvin Gonzales Minister of Public Utilities.