They are not prepared financially especially.’
Sylvester, minibus driver from Mahaicony
`With this El Nino the rice farmers are suffering plus cattle and cash crop farmers. But to me there is no water shortage it is just that it coming dirty. Where I am living some days you get water and some days you are not getting.
I am prepared for a shortage though. I have a couple of black tanks and I will start storing water soon.’
Lennox Rutherford, retiree from Plantation Farm, Mahaicony
`If I recall the last El Nino correctly they didn’t have it as bad as this one. We aren’t getting water where I am but why we can’t determine if it’s because of El Nino because the area is prone to mechanical and electrical problems and that restricts water sometimes.
But the farmers in the area are not getting water. Farmers are suffering because the drains have dried up or if it still has water, it is salt water. I am still seeing patches of green though for those who have animals.
As for saving water, I have limited storage space. I have a 500 gallon tank but I also learnt to conserve. I have a washing container that I wash wares in instead of letting the pipe run but what I suspect is when the situation gets serious, most people will depend on the authorities to get water.’
Carl Marshall, self employed from North Sophia
`We get satisfactory water which we only use to do the domestic work. It is just that sometimes the pressure is low. Yes I do practice water conservation. We try to do less washing and try not to waste water doing things that are not necessary like washing the vehicle.
Everybody might not be so conservative but I think people are conscious that we are in a period where we need to conserve water.’
Poonsammy, private sector employee from Good Hope Phase Two
`They are facing a water shortage where I am from. We get water but the pressure low and sometimes you to set a bowl to full in order to full a bucket.
Since the scheme opened we have been getting a water problem. The water is the same even in this hot weather and yet they are sending bills for you to pay and they are not giving you water.
But as much as we can, we try to save water. There are people making the effort to save water and then there are some wasting it but most save it.’
Carol Adams, self employed from Friendship
`Since Guyana is a land of many waters I feel we shouldn’t be short of water. I’m from the East Coast and certain parts will have water and certain parts wouldn’t. Like I’m from Friendship and I would get water but down at the back they don’t get water at all.
We try to manage the water that we have but it is those people who have to go a distance to get water. I feel it for them especially the school children who have to fetch water which makes them late for school.
I personally try to full up when I getting a little water since it is an important to our life and plants. We need water a lot. And Guyana is not supposed to be short of water because we’re the land of many waters.’
Mariam Griffith, self employed from B Field Sophia
`We always facing a water shortage. We used to get water but the pressure low. El Nino is part of it but I think GWI trying to economise and trying to get us to pay for what we don’t have.
At home my son full up all bottles and containers and so and we economise on water since we are not at home all day and when we at home in the night we only use water to bathe.
There are some people wasting the water but everyone should try to save as much of it as they can. And too you find that they cutting off the water at certain times so even then it can’t waste because we don’t get. We also need clean water because the water we are getting is dirty.’
Salome, vendor from Eccles, EBD
`We don’t really have a water shortage but what I am concerned about is this prepaid meter. I want to know how long the current will last if you buy a certain amount.
But in Eccles there is no kind of water shortage and since I don’t be at home in the day I am saving water that way. I guess some people are trying to save water and are aware of the water shortage.’
Tricia Mc Lean, vendor from Crane, WCD
`We don’t have a water problem only thing is that the water is brown and it leaves our clothes and wares and everything brown. No matter how you scrub it does not come out and you have to use bleach to get it out. We have two black tanks one with rain water and one with pipe water. We also full our basins and containers and lock off the pipe or the main if we have to. That is how we save water.’
Stacy Bradshaw, vendor from Sophia B Field
`Sophia is not getting any water. It has a pipe at the head of the road and sometimes it gives water. I have to get up at four in the morning to go for water and by the time you reach there is a crowd already. Then too in the morning the water cut off. They are even cutting off the water on weekends now when you need it most. Another thing is they doing part of the road and leaving the other part bad. The water in Sophia critical bad and our children have to go to school. The water situation in Sophia terrible we need help. We full all the containers we have but this thing always happening and I don’t think it has to do with the dry weather.’
