If you dig for four feet in any part of Icacos you will find water because the village is under sea level, yet the people of Icacos have no clean water to drink, as their taps have been dry for the past three months.
To make matters worse, the people can no longer depend on the Siparia Regional Corporation to bring a truck-borne water supply because the only functioning water tender was seized by High Court marshals during a levy last fortnight.
Frustrated with their plight, the villagers staged a protest yesterday calling on the Water and Sewerage Authority to send water in their community. Holding up placards which read “We want water” and “Water always scarce in Icacos,” the resident called on Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte to intervene in their plight.
The water shortage caused the shut-down of several businesses and institutions. Around 9.30 am, principal of the Icacos Government Primary School dismissed classes because there was no water in school.
The Icacos Health Centre was also shut down.
Resident Neil Sookram said for the past year, the water pressure in Icacos has been low. He said areas in Lower Icacos have been dry.
“We cannot afford to buy water and we have been begging WASA to assist us,” Sookram said. He said he has been forced to borrow a truck and go five miles to Fullarton Village to fill water at a friend’s home.
Another resident Keisha James said the water bills have been coming every quarter even though the area had no water.
“We want WASA to send water as soon a possible. We cannot send our children to school. We cannot wash and the elderly people especially are really suffering,” James said.
Councillor for Cedros Shankar Teelucksingh said the water trouble remains of major concern. He said that around 11.30 am, WASA sent a truck-borne supply to the Icacos school.
Asked why the residents were getting a limited water supply, Teelucksingh said he has been calling WASA.
“I was told that WASA will lock off the supply from Bamboo and send it to Icacos but that has not happened. Both areas are without water,” Teelucksingh said. He added that the Granville water treatment plan is functional and there were no technical problems to affect supply.
Contacted yesterday, a source of WASA said a Well Number nine was under repair and was now back in service. The official said water will be sent to the area soon. Last week, Le Hunte apologised to T&T for ongoing water shortages saying technical and infrastructural problems were responsible for water shortages.