More often than not, a fight will break out when residents line up to fill their buckets with water. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

Robert Lalah, Assistant Editor-Features

It's almost mid-day in Harmons, Manchester, and there is a crowd of women standing just in front of a huge black water tank at the side of the road. There are nine or 10 buckets on the ground. The women are taking turns filling their buckets with water, a precious commodity that's scarce in these parts. An argument breaks out between two of the women.

"Gyal make haste wid di water nuh man! Why you one haffi have five bucket?" one woman shouted. She kicked aside a white bucket that was under the pipe and the water from the tank started to fall on the ground. "Do nuh take it out pan di water!" a woman standing nearby shouted hysterically.

This scene is typical in Harmons whenever any of the two water tanks that serve the community is filled. This happens once a week, on a good week.

"Whenever the water truck come everybody haffi grab dem drum and run go out deh. As you know how Jamaican stay, nobody want to wait dem turn so is pure war and fighting. It hard when you nuh have water inna you house," said Lillian Thompson a native of Harmons, who was waiting in line to fill her bucket.

Only source of water

The residents explained that, for most of the year, the two water tanks are the only source of water for the entire Harmons community.

"When is rainy season everybody set drum and catch water, but when no rain fall everybody have to use the tank. When the truck fill the tanks it always finish in one day. If it finish before you get to full your bucket den you have to do without for another week," said Inez Powell, who was sitting at the back door of her modest home washing clothes in two tubs in front of her.

She said that, on many occasions, she has been unable to cook dinner for herself and her son because she had no water.

"When water come one time for the week and you have to fight with everybody to get a little then it not going to last any time. When it done it just done. You have to do without," the woman said.

"Life hard enough when you poor, but when you have to fight for even water is just a big disgrace," she whispered.

A few feet from her home is Trevor's One Stop Grocery Shop. There, a man in his early 20s was sweeping away some leaves from the front door of the shop.

Big problem

He said his name was Trevor. "Water is a big problem in Harmons. I born and grow here and it has always been like this. There is a primary school at the bottom of the hill and most times dem don't have any water there," Trevor said.

He pointed to a plastic jug and a drinking glass that were on a counter in the shop. "I leave out that jug and the children come here and drink water whenever they want. After school dem pack up here to get the water so I have to refill it about three times for one day. Children going to school shouldn't have to worry about simple drinking water in 2007. It really is a sin to be poor."

Desperate residents have started to pay taxi men to go out of the community to fill buckets of water and take it back to them in Harmons. The taxi men charge an average of $10 per bucket.

"When you live in town you have to fret about gunshot and pick-pockets. When you live in country you have to fret if you ago have enough water fi survive. Right now mi rather take my chance wid di gunman dem," Trevor said.

"This year Mr. Speaker, we will be spending another $979 million on several other water supply projects.

And I will name just a few:

Lucky Valley, Tydixon, Johns Groin and Waugh Hill, in St. Catherine

James Hill and Peace River, in Clarendon

Islington, Buff Bay, Fruitful Vale, in Portland

Cascade, in St. Ann

Broadgate and Enfield, in St. Mary

Dublin Castle, in St. Andrew

Coffee Grove, in Manchester.

We are meeting the challenge of providing potable water for more members of the Jamaican family.

We are shaping a cleaner future for the Jamaican family."

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in her contribution to the 2007/2008 Budget Debate, on May 1.