WASA responds to Rio Claro, Penal residents’ protest for water

Residents of Libertville in Rio Claro blocked the two areas of the main road with burning debris on Thursday morning to protest for water.

The residents set fires at Campbell Trace junction and Old Mayaro Road and returned to their homes. There were also old tyres in the road, which caused traffic to pile up until police and fire officers cleared the area.

The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) responded hours later, acknowledging that it has experienced difficulties in providing a reliable water supply to customers in Libertville and Teemul Trace, Penal, in recent weeks.

Penal residents protested earlier in the day calling for water from WASA.

A statement from WASA said the situation developed after several mechanical and pipeline disruptions affected both areas.

Navet water treatment plant, via the San Pedro booster, supplies Libertville. Leaks on a pipeline at Naparima Mayaro Road affected the supply.

WASA said it repaired these on September 22.

However, a mechanical problem developed at the San Pedro booster station the next day.

A new pump was acquired and installed on Wednesday, restoring pipe-borne service that night.

WASA said some customers did not receive a supply. However, this should have been regularised by Thursday night.

South/ Cat's Hill, Rio Claro councillor David Law told Newsday, one of the biggest issues he raised with WASA officials is the recurring leaks.

"From Poole bridge to Rio Claro proper, there are about 50. On Wednesday, WASA workers worked round the clock, which started from the day before, to install a new pump at the San Pedro booster station."

Law said a senior official told him that the demand was higher than usual since the area was without pipe-borne water for several days.

Mayaro MP Rushton Paray referred to the blocking of the road at Campbell Trace as an expression of the suffering and hardship felt by his constituents. He had also called on WASA to give the residents a reliable supply.

At the Teemul Trace area, WASA said there were at least three different ruptures on the transmission pipelines at Barrackpore and St John within two weeks.

"The most recent was completed on September 28, and the service is being normalised. Customers at the lower level of the Teemul Trace area have already received a pipe-borne water supply," WASA said.

Customers at the higher elevations were expected to receive a supply by Thursday night.

WASA said officials have been communicating with the local government representative for the area and other members of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation.

It said it provided truck-borne water to affected customers in Teemal and Napalla Trace on Monday and Tuesday.