Thick Village residents protest for water

Sascha Wilson

Senior Reporter

sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt

Residents of Zachariah Avenue, Thick Village, Siparia, sang Iwer George’s “Water” and banged on empty containers yesterday, during a protest over a water shortage in their community.

Among the 63 residents participating in the protest was 94-year-old Theresa Elliot, who said the situation was overbearing.

“You have to bathe. You have to flush the toilet, no water. Other areas by us getting water right through,” she complained.

Another elderly resident, Olga Nottingham, 86, said, “Gone are the days when you have to get up at 2 o’clock in the morning and go down to the standpipe and bring up water and you have to wait for trips, everybody have a bucket. Why suffer us?”

Elizabeth James, a preschool teacher, said the children in the neighbourhood have been staying away from school because of water problems.

“You cannot even cook food, Crix and biscuits. You cannot even bathe. You can’t wash. The clothes on my back is my cousin’s own. I have no clothes to go to work,” she said.

Another resident, Maurice Alexander, said about ten years ago the water schedule for the area was changed, and instead of getting a supply two or three times a week, they now get water only one to three days per month.

“We have brought this matter to WASA and to date, none of our residents has any information regarding why we are receiving a supply once a month,” he said.

A WASA spokesman said the water problems in the area were due to various disruptions, including a cutback in production at Desalcott, and they are working to normalise the supply. A truck-borne supply will be provided to affected customers in the interim.

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