Dear Editor,
The village of Strathspey has been faced with a serious water crisis for the past six weeks; residents are finding it extremely difficult to manage without running water to do their daily work and many kitchen gardens are suffering because of no water supply.
The water comes on three times per week for two hours, but at very low pressure, so that it is not possible for it to run through the standpipes. Parents and schoolchildren have to resort to bicycles to fetch water from nearby villages even during the night when the pressure is on.
Many calls have been made to GWI head office to complain about this problem but nothing has been done so far by the relevant authorities.
The residents need to know what is causing this problem for so long and how much longer they would have to suffer.
Yours faithfully,
Roxroy Mason
Editor’s note
We had sent a copy of an earlier letter (September 10) on the matter of the water situation in Strathspey to PRO Guyana Water Inc, Mr Rawle Aaron, for any comments he might have wished to make, as well as two others relating to dirty water coming through Stevedore taps, published on September 5 and a broken pipe at Grove (September 10). He has responded to each of these issues below.
We apologise to Mr Aaron for misrepresenting his surname in an editor’s note on September 10.
Strathspey
“ In an effort to improve the water supply for residents in Annandale, Buxton, Friendship, Vigilance, Bladen Hall and Strathspey, the Guyana Water Inc is currently administering remedial works on the 12-inch water transmission main that serves these areas.
“The much needed repair will be completed in about six to eight weeks.
“The residents in the affected areas continue to receive water from a sectionalized distribution schedule (attached) which is intended to relieve the situation during this period.”
Sectionalized Schedule
Broken pipe at Grove
Firstly, I am happy to report that the leak reported at Maple Street in Samatta Point, Grove EBD has been fixed.
“The delay in fixing the leak was due to the fact that despite several reports to our Customer Complaint Section the location of the residence could not be found by our contractors.
“Guyana Water Inc urges residents to ensure that full details of their address are recorded at the time of the report.
“Our Customer Complaint Number is 227-8701.”
Dirty water coming through Stevedore taps
“Guyana Water Inc would like to assure the residents of Stevedore Housing Scheme that we have acknowledged receipt of their letter relating to the alleged quality of water being distributed to the area.
“We have requested your contact information from Guyana Publications Inc and will be visiting your residences to collect samples which will be analyzed and evaluated by our laboratory.
“As a precautionary measure please boil all water used for consumption.”