Cherry residents running out of patience for scarce commodity

Residents of Cherry and surrounding communities in St Catherine West Central are frustrated that there seems to be no end in sight to their decades-long struggle to access water, with a planned initiative still yet to get off the ground.

With running water in pipes now becoming a distant memory, the residents rely on trucks that sell the commodity for between $1,500 and $3,000 per load – a situation that has been burning holes in their pockets.

Sixty-three-year-old Waldy Johnson, who has lived in Cherry all his life, told The Gleaner that as he is unable to afford to install a huge tank to store water for his household, he has to pay between $250 and $300 per drum.

“If we don’t get water from the Spring Garden River or buy from the trucks, we don’t have water. We have to buy water 24/7,” he lamented.

“The MP (member of parliament) come and say him was going to deal with the water problem, but from him win, we nuh see him again. Even the road that him say him a go deal with, nothing happens; we nuh see him again,” Johnson said pointing out that the Spring Garden supply, although cheaper, is contaminated and can only be used for laundry and farming.

“Corona (COVID-19 pandemic) run and dem seh we must wash wi hand and sanitise and all that, but we nuh have water fi do that. If we can’t help weself ‘round here, we dead,” he continued.

Johnson pointed to a wayside tank that has not had water since 1980 as evidence of the long-standing struggles.

The last time some effort was made to address the problem was in 2011, when a water facility was constructed under the Jamaica Water Sector Improvement Project with a capacity of almost 200,000 imperial gallons of potable water supplied from the Green Acres wells. This, however, only improved the water supply in some communities in Kitson Town.

Joan Robinson, who operates a small grocery shop in the community, also expressed her disappointment with not having potable water over the years, while decrying the neglect of the community by its member of parliament.

“This is unbearable. I have to wash and cook and I have to fill up three drums three times per week,” she said. “The community is neglected. Not even the road dem fix. See, I have to pay to bush the sides of the road near to my shop.”

St Catherine West Central Member of Parliament Dr Christopher Tufton told The Gleaner that he will be having meetings with the National Water Commission to move phase two of a project to deal with these communities off the ground.

“The Kitson Town Greater Water Scheme, which was done under [former MP] Ken Baugh, brought water into some communities. Phase two will take it into communities like Cherry, but unfortunately the resources have not been provided after many years,” Tufton explained.

He noted that improvements to water supplies were being done in other sections of the constituency, pointing to a project costing some $120 million and which will benefit some 5,000 householders in the Watermount area.

Another rural water project is being undertaken in the Gingeridge area to benefit Connors and surrounding communities.

ruddy.mathison@gleanerjm.com