Disruptions in the service provided by the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) have left some East Bank Essequibo villages without a potable water supply for months and some residents have been forced to resort to accessing water from canals.
Some homes have not received water for as long as three months while others have been plagued with the disruption for between one month and two months.
Stabroek News contacted the GWI office at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara on Monday last and a promise was made to check on the issue within three working days. Two contact numbers for customers who were not getting water were also given to GWI.
While residents said they saw a GWI vehicle in the area, no one checked the pipes in the area or informed residents what the issue was.
When Stabroek News contacted the GWI again yesterday, an engineer said GWI is aware that there is a problem affecting the area, but she refused to say what the problem was. She also refused to give a time by which GWI will have the situation resolved.
Attempts to contact GWI’s Public Relations Officer Timothy Austin were futile.
Lionel Seepersaud, a businessman from St Lawrence, told Stabroek News that he has not been getting water for the past three months. However, Seepersaud said water began trickling through the pipes on Thursday but it was contaminated with rust.
Meanwhile, Wayne Wong from Naamless, East Bank Essequibo, said he has been receiving water bills for extravagant amounts ranging between $100,000 and $150,000, although he has not been getting water for the past four months.
Wong said water will start coming through his pipes after 9.30 pm, but after he fills two five-gallon buckets, the flow stops.
Since the majority of the villagers of Naamless are faced with the same issue, many have resorted to using a canal at the back of the village. Village boys usually swim in the canal, while others go there to wash, but desperation has seen villagers using the water from the canal to cook.
“I went into GWI and I tell them to come and remove the meter because it in make no sense… I getting two bucket water for the day and my water bill showing $150,000… Let them come and take it out,” a distressed Wong said. He noted that he has been receiving inflated bills since last year. After visiting GWI’s office and raising the issue, Wong said, they eventually reduced his total to $50,000 but he has refused to pay the amount as he is convinced that it is impossible for his two buckets of water to result in that total.
Wong said he was also told by GWI that he will be placed on a contract to pay off the money over several months but he has refused to sign the contract.
“Right now we can’t do better here… Everybody going to the canal to bathe and wash and everything,” Wong lamented.
Commie (only name given), of Ruby, East Bank Essequibo, said she had visited GWI’s office at Pouderoyen on Monday and she was assured that someone would visit the area the next day to make checks on the pipe. However, no one has showed up.
Commie said when she called the office on Wednesday, she was told that there is a problem affecting the entire area. She has not been getting water for the past three months, but has been receiving water bills. Commie has been depending on rain for water but since there has been no rain in a while, due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, her tanks are empty.
Meanwhile, Wendal De Camp of Present Hope, East Bank Essequibo, said water had stopped flowing from his pipe about two weeks ago, but rusty water began trickling again on Thursday.
Dian King, also of Present Hope, said nine persons are part of her household and they have all been suffering since the disruption to the water service began about two months ago.
Deokie Phillip, who resides on a lot behind King, said the shortage of water is very distressing. While Phillip will receive water if a pump is attached to the pipe, she said the water cannot be used owing to its contamination with rust.
Phillip said most of the persons in the area have since connected pumps to their pipes in order to get water and this affects the flow, as the already low pressure is halted.
Other persons who spoke with Stabroek News who were not getting water included Edna Singh and Wilfred Singh, both of Present Hope.
