WASA keeps promise to Ste Madeleine pensioner

THE Water and Sewerage Authority has kept its promise to a Ste Madeleine pensioner by repairing a leak on one of its lines located at her property.

Unel Adams, 78, who is recovering from her third stroke, was worried if quick action wasn’t taken, the underground leak, which sprung up about three months ago, could compromise her St Clements home. She complained the land around the leak had already begun to shift.

She said workers visited the site on November 19 but said they did not have the requisite parts to effect the repair.

When Newsday contacted acting WASA CEO Kelvin Romain on November 20, he said things were being put in place to ensure it was fixed on November 21.

To Adam’s pleasure, she said crews arrived and worked on it as promised. “I was worried. I can’t afford to build no house again.”

Although she was unable to say if the work was completed, Romain told Newsday it was.

Adams said she hoped the repair would hold up and it did not start leaking again.

On November 20, Newsday observed the constant stream of water flowing in Adams’ backyard. Although there were two large pipelines above ground, the water appeared to have emanated from underground as consistent, constant bubbles were seen coming from a small puddle.

Though small in circumference, probing it with an old curtain rod showed it was between three to four feet deep.

Adam’s concern for her house was based on what she said had been the authority’s slow response in dealing with these matters in the 54 years she has lived at the location.

She said she has experienced five leaks in that time and became well-known to the staff at a nearby WASA office due to her repeated visits to make enquiries and reports.