Some residents in Half Moon Fort, St Lucy, are breathing a deep sigh of relief after having a long-leaking pipe there fixed.The water main, off the main road near “Moon Town”, was repaired last Thursday by Barbados Water Authority (BWA) personnel after what residents said was more than a six-month wait and wasted water.“It was not gushing, but a leak is a leak; it even turned the road green,” an irate John Anthony Husbands told the SUNDAY SUN yesterday from the nearby fish market.The fisherman, along with Selwyn “Ricky” Fenty, whose home is next to where the breach occurred, were upset that it took so long.“That was burst long, long, long. People out there were calling the Water Authority but nobody would comeand fix it,” said Husbands.Pointing to the mended pipe, Fenty said he himself had made four calls over that time, and had even spoken to a BWA supervisor face to face. Yet the wait and frustration continued.“The water was running and running and creating moss on the road. I was concerned also because a lotof old people use the road to get to their homes. A young boy slipped and fell on the moss,” he added.Then on Thursday, the crews rolled in.“One truck came . . . and ten minutes later another crew turned up!” he said, grateful but also smiling at the turn of events.Meantime, Husbands, who lives in nearby Sutherland Hill, said a pipe there burst on Friday evening under the main road, sending water gushing downhill.He said residents had cut out a path at the roadside to avoid the water flowing down Sutherland Hill, which he added could be quite slippery when wet. He said he hoped the wait there would not be as long.Husbands called for a contractual set-up for main repairs as he lamented what he said was the poor work ethic and responsiveness of some BWA staff. “Put them on contract! If a pipe is burst, pay them X, Y or Z to fix [it]. They will fix it fast!” he declared. Earlier this month, BWA general manager Denis Yearwood pleaded with Barbadians to be patient with the Authority.“Every day we fix several burst pipes. We don’t get them fixed with the speed that the public will like, but we are out there every day [fixing them],” he said. (BW)
• Over the past few months Barbados has been experiencing a drought. As a result, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has appealed to Barbadians not to waste water. The BWA itself, however, must also pay attention, since there are a number of burst pipes throughout the island.We want to get those pipes fixed as quickly as possible, so we propose to help the BWA by highlighting the wastage. If you see a burst pipe or can tell us where water is being wasted, email bryanwalker@nationnews.com
