No water since August in Denham and Hannah towns

Residents in sections of Denham Town and Hannah Town in west Kingston say they are worried that a lack of piped water in their communities since August could derail school plans for the new term starting January 7 next year.

Pleading their case is Reverend Father Mark Hallinan of the St Anne's Catholic Church, who told The Gleaner that the pipes that were replaced in the communities as part of the social-improvement plan under the zone of special operations (ZOSO) appear to have been a smokescreen as water is not being pumped through them.

"I would be curious to know why this problem has persisted as long as it has and without any end in sight. We are still in a ZOSO, and part of the ZOSO was supposed to be social improvements. We've now taken a giant step backwards with the cut-off of water to our area," Hallinan said.

According to the clergyman, schools that the church is responsible for are having a difficult time dealing with the lack of water.

"We have three schools - the St Anne's Infant School, St Anne's Primary School, and St Anne's CAP School. They are spending about $40,000 every two weeks to have water trucked in. This is money that the ministry of education has to pay; money that could be better used for instructional purposes," Hallinan stated.

"As a result, the entire community is wary of the consequences for the coming school year. At the moment, it is a sad situation as those sums of money that people are spending to buy water from the trucks is taking away from the cash they need to provide food and school their children."

Hallinan noted that it is hard work for residents from across multiple communities to be accessing water from just one source, a standpipe near his church.

"It is unsavoury to see so many people trying to access water from just the one pipe in the area. The NWC (National Water Commission) has not said anything to us, even though we notice that pipes are still being replaced. It would be nice to hear from them," he said.

A LITTLE MORE PATIENCE

Meanwhile, NWC's corporate communications manager, Charles Buchanan, noted that the water issue in these communities is being addressed but that he was not in a position to give a deadline for completion.

"While understanding the plight there, I am asking that residents have just a little more patience. The NWC has undertaken to replace many pieces of failing pipelines and has been replacing others, putting in well-needed valves all over the city, and, unfortunately, it has taken a little more time to get it all done," said Buchanan.

"But the people in Hannah Town and other nearby communities who have been suffering from poor service will soon be returned to a better state."

paul.clarke@gleanerjm.com