CWSA building 500,000 gallon storage tank to improve water supply in Central Leeward

by Joreen Francis

The interruptions to the water supply which have been experienced by residents of Larly Road, Keartons, Barrouallie for over a year will soon be resolved.

This assurance has come from general manager of the Central Water and Sewerage Authority{{more}} (CWSA) Garth Saunders, who told SEARCHLIGHT that the intermittent supply of water to this area “will very soon be resolved by pipeline replacement and the completion of the new storage tank at Belle Isle.”

Saunders’ response on Wednesday came after residents of the Larly Road community complained to SEARCHLIGHT that since the floods of December 2013, their water supply has been intermittent.

“This started to happen since the December 2013 flood; it’s mostly affecting me on Saturdays and Sundays when most people are home,” Karon Hepburn told SEARCHLIGHT.

Hepburn said she is also affected by the problem on mornings and has to wake up early to fill containers because after 6 a.m., there is no water in her pipes until 11a.m.

“… On mornings I have to prepare to go to work and I have to wake up 5 a.m. to full up my buckets and jugs in order to get water to bathe and do chores.” She added that when the water returns around 11 a.m., it “comes back with a lot of pressure” that has damaged her pipes and that of her neighbours in the past.

SEARCHLIGHT spoke with six other residents of the area, including Arlitha Scott, Jean Lampkin, Jennifer Gordon, Merlene Turtin, Joel Browne and Lesto Hector, all of whom had similar stories.

Turtin said at one point she was without water for two weeks and that her animals are also affected by the situation. “My pigs are also affected because when there is no water my pigs cannot get anything to drink and they have to suffer until water comes.”

Browne, who lives with his wife and children, noted that there are times when his children cannot get any water to take a shower and brush their teeth to go school, while Hector, a farmer, called on the CWSA to “deal with the problem immediately” because he pays his water bill every month and the “CWSA needs to keep their end of the bargain.” He added that he is annoyed that the situation has been going on for so long.

Saunders, however, told SEARCHLIGHT that the CWSA was “totally unaware of the intermittent supply of water that reportedly occurs on weekends and early mornings in Larly Road, Keartons. In fact, an examination of the CWSA complaints logs indicates that no such complaints were received in the recent past. That, of course, is no excuse for not meeting our well-known high service quality standard. However, because of the extensive nature of the CWSA’S pipeline network, we rely heavily on consumers and the public in general to report problems, leaks and other issues, so that they can be addressed in a reasonable time.”

The general manager said while the CWSA appreciates the forbearance of the residents of Larly Road, the CWSA also acknowledges that there other pockets in and around Barouallie that from time to time experience short interruptions in their supply.

“These issues, including the Larly Road problem, are currently being addressed by the CWSA’s engineering department and will very soon be resolved by pipeline replacement and the completion of the new 500,000 gallon ($1.5 million) storage tank currently under construction at Belle Isle. This storage tank will result in an overall improvement in the supply throughout the Central Leeward area and will easily meet the demand of the area in the medium and long term.”