With the absence of water in their pipes for over 10 years, some residents on a section of Collie Smith Drive say the day a community member discovered a broken main with flowing water was a blessing for them.
Located below ground on the sidewalk, the residents use a small container to fetch the precious commodity from the hole which they call Dipout Well. They then pour water into larger basins or pans for use.
One resident, Kerrian Howell, said “Water used to inna the yaad but it gone. From bout 2007, we nah no water. A one man discover this. We wash, bathe and we go other place fi go ketch water fi drink and cook.”
The residents said although Dipout is in a very bad location, they still have to use it as it is easily accessible for them.
“Yu see true under the ground rotten weh, so it nah feed come inna the yard,” Howell said.
“Yu see which part it deh, beside the rubbish pan. Mi sorry unnu never see when the maggish (maggots) deh. Yu see weh we affi use yah so, we nah no other choice,” another resident told THE STAR.
Might get sick
The residents said while the water is helpful for washing and doing other chores, they don’t take the chance of ingesting it out of fear that they might get sick.
However, although they won’t drink it, they say that tests that have been done on the water showed that it is good.
They said on numerous occasions they have sought help from the authorities, but they have fallen on deaf hears.
“We cry fi help so till we weak. We no know wah again fi do,” Howell said.
Despite that, they are still pleading with the authorities to fix their water problem, which they believe is caused by the water line rotting.
“We just a beg them fi change out the piping system, so we can get back likkle water inna the building them. Yu see if outside fix, yu won’t pass and see nobody out deh because the water woulda start come back in yah,” Howell told THE STAR.
Efforts to get a comment yesterday from Charles Buchanan, corporate public relations manager at the National Water Commission, proved futile.
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