Glen Laville, Acting Assistant General Manager at the corporation told The Bahama Journal yesterday that bad weather had delayed water shipments between Andros and New Providence, forcing “special reductions” over the next few days.
He said the disruption could last until early next week.
“There were some delays in shipping going back to last week, around Wednesday, Thursday and Friday because we had some issues with bad weather,” Mr. Laville said.
“The shipping operations are back to normal but there will still be special reductions over the next few days as the shipping operations try to now catch up on what we have lost as a result of the delays.”
Mr. Laville reminded consumers to conserve water at all times, and not only during a water shortage.
“Even when there’s not times like this we all have to realize that water is still a limited resource,” he said. “I am sure that we have all heard that water would soon become the oil of the future.
“During all periods we should conserve, but during periods like this where there is a shortage, obviously there are more stringent measures that need to be taken.”
But consumers like Marvin Hepburn disagree. He feels that because The Bahamas is located in an active hurricane area corporations should be more prepared.
“I feel at a total disadvantage,” Mr. Hepburn told The Bahama Journal on Thursday. “I feel that in a corporation where you have to pay so much money you should be able to get adequate service.
“It is inexcusable. A company of this magnitude should be prepared. Because we are in a hurricane region they should be overly prepared for situations like this.
“They cannot come to me and tell me that because of the hurricane I would have a disruption in service. What if I was to say that because of the hurricane I couldn’t afford to pay my bill? What they are doing is wrong and they need to correct it as soon as possible.”
Sharyl McKinney also believes that the corporation should be more prepared, and that consumers should be compensated for the disruption in their supplies.
“In reference to bills being decreased because of the disruption, I do agree that the Water and Sewerage Corporation should do that,” she said. “They should always be prepared for the worst. I would not consider a hurricane an excuse, but lacking on their behalf. They are not prepared as they should be.”
Mr. Laville reminded the public that the new reverse osmosis plant on Blue Hill Road is now in its first phase and when completed would provide an additional 1 million gallons of water to the Windsor facility.
But until then consumers like Marcia Munnings said that she is frustrated by inconsistencies in service at all government corporations.
“I don’t think that bad whether should be an excuse for bad service,” Mrs. Munnings said.
“I think that we need to stop being counteractive and as a nation we need to become proactive and stop finding excuses for poor service.”
By: Perez Clarke, The Bahama Journal
