Zeelugt, Tuschen suffer water woes

May 13, 2009 News

The residents of Zeelugt and Tuschen have been without water since last November. They say that the water stopped coming through their taps and upon inquiring of the reason from the water authority, they were told that the pump was broken and that it will be up and running in two weeks time.
Six months later they are still without water. Due to the occasional rain, those who have large storing tanks are able to be with water longer that some.

Residents flock a large tank provided by GWI for supplies

Occasionaly, a tractor with trailer that transports three large water tanks, have been contracted by the Guyana Water Inc. to distribute water to the residents of the villages, but most time about 80 per cent of them are left without water.
One resident said since the water stopped flowing, the trailer has only passed through the street that he resides on two occasions.
Most of the time, the trailer goes at the seawall area, which is home to about three thousand people.
Altaf Hussain, a resident of Zeelugt, said that constantly he checks the compound where water pump is and he keeps asking the workers when they will finish. He said he always get the same reply “by next week or next two weeks”.
Sometimes the people who are repairing the pumps could be seen lazing around the compound or chatting with one another.
No work is being done, another resident remarked. To date no officials have visited the area to tell the residents what is the problem and when they will be able to get water.
Due to the water problems, a lot of working people and school children are always late for work or school. The water has been affecting the residents for so long that children could be seen using any type of containers to hold water, even plastic bottles, makeshift carts, and bicycles throughout the day and even at nights.