Residents of St James say they have been forced to cope with brown and, in some cases, almost black water flowing from their taps since the weekend, disrupting daily life and raising concerns about contamination.
The discoloured water has affected households’ ability to cook, wash, brush their teeth and carry out other routine activities. Residents also say the problem has led to the contamination of water tanks, household filtration systems and swimming pools, creating additional cleaning and maintenance costs.
St James resident Sandra Maharaj yesterday told Guardian Media she first noticed the issue on Sunday morning while preparing food.
“Since Sunday when I got up and went to cook, I realised the water was so brown and I had to get bottled water,” Maharaj said.
Believing the problem would be temporary, she left the tap running in an attempt to clear the line, but without success.
“I tried running the water constantly for a while and it just didn’t clear. By Monday, it got worse,” she said.
By Tuesday morning, Maharaj said the situation had deteriorated further.
“When I filled a bucket just to see what was happening, the water was black. I mean, literally black,” she said.
Concerned, she contacted neighbours and discovered they were experiencing similar problems.
Other residents also reported receiving brown water through their taps.
Maharaj said she refuses to use the water for cooking.
“It’s difficult because you have to cook. I can’t cook in that water. Even if you try to boil it, it’s still looking brown, so who would want to drink water looking like that?” she asked.
She said even brushing her teeth had become a challenge.
“When I tried to wash my mouth, you could actually taste the dirt in the water and I had to get bottled water to brush my teeth,” she said.
Laundry has also been affected.
“You can’t wash in that water. When you fill up the washing machine, the water is so brown. Even to wash dark clothes, you wouldn’t want to use that kind of water because there’s a smell coming from it as well,” Maharaj said.
For many families, the problem has meant purchasing bottled water for basic daily needs.
Residents told Guardian Media that the discoloured water had also entered household storage tanks, forcing some homeowners to consider draining and cleaning them.
Hila Saline, a Morvant resident who was in St James at the time, said she was experiencing a similar problem in Paradise Heights, Morvant.
She also complained that repeated attempts to contact the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) had gone unanswered.
Water filtration systems have been affected as well, with residents reporting stained filters and expressing concern that cartridges may need replacing.
Residents with swimming pools said dirty water entering their systems had affected water clarity and could result in significant treatment costs once the supply returns to normal.
Upper Bournes Road resident John Cook described the situation as the worst he had ever experienced.
“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen. It’s the worst, worst, worst I’ve ever seen,” Cook said.
He said he was fortunate to have stored water in a tank.
“Thank God I have a tank. If I didn’t have that tank, I don’t know what I would be doing, brother,” he said.
However, Cook noted that even residents with storage systems could face problems if discoloured water entered their tanks.
His concern, he said, was not compensation.
“Give the people clean water,” Cook said.
“We are a peaceful neighbourhood. I just wish they would do the right thing. Give people clean water. That’s all we want.”
Another St James resident expressed similar frustration, saying she could not comfortably prepare meals while the supply remained dirty.
Residents said they are particularly concerned that after several days, the water has still not returned to normal.
Residents are now calling on WASA to explain the cause of the prolonged discolouration, indicate how long it is expected to continue and say whether any flushing or remedial work is being carried out in the affected areas.
For Cook, however, the request is straightforward.
“We don’t want compensation and all that. Clean water. That’s all we want,” he said.
Seven Seas desal plant offline for emergency repairs
The Seven Seas Desalination Plant will remain out of service for a further 24 hours as the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) carries out emergency repairs to a 24-inch main.
WASA said yesterday that the plant was taken offline at 7 am yesterday and is expected to return to service on or before 7 am today.
The main carries water from the desalination plant into WASA’s distribution system.
Customers in several communities in the Central and South West districts may experience disruptions in their water supply during the repairs, WASA said.
The affected communities are Vance River, Guapo, Gonzales, Egypt Village, New Lands, Vessigny, Parrylands, Cochrane, Mahaica, Fanny Village, Harriman Park, Clifton Hill and Cap-de-Ville.
WASA said truck-borne water is available to affected areas on request.
It said customers can contact the authority’s hotline at 800-4H2O. WASA apologised for the inconvenience and thanked customers for their patience while crews complete the repairs.
