L'Aventura residents lament the low water pressure which hampers efforts to pump water up the vertical pipes leading to their storage tanks. - Photo by Marlon Vickerman

What's not working?

Residents of the L'Aventura community along Washington Boulevard in St. Andrew say that since February they have been fighting to cope with nagging low water pressure.

However, it gets worse: Sometimes residents are without potable water for much of the day. On those days they are blessed with only a trickle, that is, if they are able to get up in the wee hours of the morning.

Synopsis of situation:

It is said that electrical malfunctions at the White Marl water supply station are to be blamed for the severe water shortage being experienced by L'Aventura residents. And, these problems may take some six weeks to be rectified.

Daniel Coley, president of the L'Aventura Citizens' Association, said the water crisis is not unfamiliar to the community.

"We have been having this problem consistently for the past three years. Whenever February comes around, the low water pressure problem kicks in and stays until April," he said. "It's unacceptable that the problem has persisted for so many years, I mean since February we have had to be storing water in containers, lessen our washloads and even try to minimise bathroom usage.

"As a matter of fact, all the problems and inconveniences that one can associate with not having an adequate supply of water are present in the community. And to now hear that we have to cope with them for another month and a half is very depressing," Coley added.

The citizens' association boss noted that residents are forced to extend water hoses from their storage tanks into their attics to get water from the water truck when it comes by.

"Well, I must say that the National Water Commission has been making some effort to provide water amidst the crisis, as I noted since last week we have a water truck coming to supply water every day," Coley said.

Another resident noted that she has to be up by 4:00 a.m., as the supply usually goes dry in two hours. Even then, she states, the water pressure is still low and only runs in the lower sections of the house. That problem, she says, also causes her storage tank to run dry as the water pressure is too low.

Who's responsible?

The National Water Commission (NWC)

What's the status?

When our news team contacted Charles Buchanan, corporate communications manager at the NWC, he said that his company was aware of the problem.

"The essential problem is that the White Marl water supply system has experienced some major electrical problems which require the laying of new electrical cables and also installation of new and an additional number of electrical transformers," he said.

"In addition to addressing the problems, we are seeking to upgrade the system so that it will not be vulnerable to future situations in the future," added Buchanan.

The NWC spokesman further explained: "Rather than having a system where you have one transformer that serves a number of pumps making them vulnerable in cases that the transformer goes, we are redesigning the electrical (cables) and that would isolate any future problems."

While he could not give a timeline for restoration, he pointed out that his company has already signed off on the $1.4 million needed to get the work done.

Buchanan emphasised that while the water company wants to deal with the situation quickly, it is not going to be a quick fix.

"We recognise the problem and are doing everything in our power to solve it and also to ensure that a similar situation does not occur (in the future)."

Apart from L'Aventura, Buchanan revealed that some residents along Red Hills Road, sections of Cassia Park and Moreton Park are also being affected.

He also said that the NWC has "arranged and has been consistently trucking water to areas most affected".

Conclusion:

All in all, it 'sounds' good that plans are in the pipeline.

However, what's alarming is that Coley said the problem has been plaguing L'Aventura for the past three years. The question, then, is why has the NWC allowed the problem to persist for so long?

Now, in addition to the over two months of discomfort and inconvenience, L'Aventura residents are forced to deal with water woes for another month and a half.

Credit to NWC for easing some of the discomfort by trucking water to the community. But can't we be more proactive, not reactive?

We will be watching!

- Done by Marlon Vickerman, Gleaner Writer

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