EDITORIAL: Time to revitalize storage facilities in communities NWC

During such period of grave inconvenience without the precious lifesaving commodity, residents were taken back to those unforgettable times decades ago when such occurrence was the norm.

How the NWC’s management of the situation leaves a lot to be desired, though, while its communication strategy by way of ‘timely’ updates created more angst than hope for residents.

We do however take note of the state-run utility company's effort to alleviate the stress of its customers by diverting service from elsewhere to the affected areas albeit late nights, at low pressure and only accessible to households on the lower level of the landscape. Water was trucked to the affected areas as well, declared the NWC, but some residents reported never receiving such a service, while others had to resort to purchasing water from private companies at exorbitant rates. Not to mention reports of the politicising of the provision of such a need to these areas by political figures at the local government level. We are indeed in a very sad state of affairs when something as important as water is politicise against our own flesh and blood.

But what this crisis has certainly brought into focus is the need for sustainable contingency plans to mitigate such problems.

For those who are old enough, you can recall a deliberate plan by the state to construct small reservoirs (aluminum or concrete tanks) within each new housing development. This excellent idea was instituted to reduce time loss without water for residents of these communities. Such a brilliant concept was sadly though never sustained due to neglect and lack of maintenance.

For if such a mechanism was in place, communities like Marlie Mount, Wellside Lane and Old Harbour Villa would not have to endure such a dry spell without water. Currently such facilities already exist to serve these communities but needs rehabilitating for its intended purpose.

The time for such action is now given the large number of inhabitants impacted in just 10 days.

Old Harbour News is therefore calling on Member of Parliament Everald Warmington, Councillor Mark O’Connor, the St Catherine Municipal Corporation,  the Ministry of Local Government,  Senator Aubyn Hill, who is the state minister with responsibility for water in the Office of the Prime Minister, and the National Water Commission's president Mr Mark Barnett along with its technical unit; to  convene a summit to determine how and when the resuscitation of community storage facilities will be carried out and ensure that this is included in the country's sustainable development plan for the future.

If this isn't part of the thinking of those in placed in the position to serve the people, then they should remove themselves from public service and make way for others with the will to get the job done.