Hours after Penal residents staged a placard protest accusing the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) of discrimination, WASA has promised to deliver water to affected communities within 48 hours.
More than 4,000 residents from the communities of La Costena, Dabiedial Road, Sunrees Road, Clarke Road, Lachoos Road, Penal Rock Road, Satnarine Trace, Ramdeen Trace and Lowkie Trace have been complaining about water shortages saying they are forced to purchase truckloads of water from private contractors for $500 a tank even though WASA bills are up to date.
Early yesterday, the residents dragged debris across Penal Rock Road, blocking vehicular access but the barricades were quickly cleared up by police.
President of the La Costena Gardens Village Council Satnarine Ramcharan said residents who live in higher regions have not had water since November while those in low lying areas have not had water since January.
“We paying WASA but we are not getting water. More than 1,500 residents from Sou Sou Lands have not received water for more than six weeks,” Ramcharan said.
Another resident Prakash Nandlal said 11-year-old son Avinash Nandlal spent five days in the hospital and even after he was discharged yesterday there was no water to clean the house.
“The house dusty and we don’t have a drop of water to clean and my son sick. Where they expect us to get money to buy water? Most people are without jobs,” Nandlal shouted.
Shanti Gunness said she has been going by a relative’s home in Barrackpore to wash clothes. She said prior to the shortage they got water once a week and made this do but now there was not a drop of water in their pipes.
Indroutie Singh said many parents were finding it difficult to manage their households without water.
Former president of the Penal/Debe Chamber of Industry and Commerce Shiva Roopnarine who also joined the protests said business owners were also suffering because of the water shortage. He said several calls were made to WASA and they were told that there were some problems with the Scotts Road water treatment plant.
But chairman of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation Dr Allen Sammy questioned how other areas on the East West corridor and other “big shot” areas were receiving 24- hour water supply while rural areas like Penal were continuing to be starved for water. Saying this was open discrimination, Sammy called on WASA to review its water distribution cycles. He also said that WASA had one truck operating to deliver water and although the corporation was willing to assist with water trucking, this proposal has been rejected. Sammy said Penal received water from four avenues- the Penal dam, Scotts Road Water treatment plant, the Desalination plant and the Caroni Water treatment plant.
WASA RESPONDS
WASA, in a statement, said the shortage of water in Penal was caused by the recent shut down at the Point Lisas Desalination Plant for planned maintenance work.
“The affected areas, which are at the extremities of the water distribution system, are expected to receive a supply over the next 48 hours. WASA said on Friday to Saturday areas including Penal Rock Road from SS Erin Road to La Costena Gardens including Debedial Road, Ramdeen Trace and La Costena Gardens will receive a supply while San Francique, Batchyia, Katwaroo, Lowkie Trace, Charlo Village, Alta Garcia Trace, Lily Trace, De Gannes Village and environs will receive water on Saturday and Sunday.
Saying water supply schedule will return to normal in the coming weeks, WASA also advised that customers in parts of lower Belmont will get water on Saturday as the Authority’s technical team completes investigative and corrective works along the water distribution system for the area.
These areas include Belmont Circular Road, Sandhurst Street, Pelham Street, Norfolk Street, Archer Street, Cadiz Road, Suffix Lane and environs.