Ongoing water crisis in Akers

Editor: We, the residents of Akers, are writing to express our deep frustration with the ongoing water crisis that has affected our community for more than 30 years, despite countless complaints and repeated appeals to the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA).

For over three decades, the people of Akers have endured an unreliable water supply. After years of complaints, CWSA constructed a fiber glass water tank around 2009/2010. Unfortunately, from the moment it was completed, the tank developed severe leaks. Water continuously flowed into neighbouring properties for more than 10 years, damaging foundations and causing unnecessary hardship, while our community still struggled with inadequate water service.

In 2020, CWSA demolished the fiberglass tank and replaced it with a concrete structure. We hoped this investment would finally resolve our long standing water problems. Instead, the situation has become even worse. Residents continue to experience severe water shortages, and we feel that CWSA has not done enough to investigate or permanently resolve the issue.

Currently, water is often available only between approximately 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. This limited supply is simply not enough for families to complete their daily activities. Children are home during the hot vacation period with little or no water. Many residents return home after a long day of work only to find there is no water available for bathing, cooking, or other basic household needs. Whether it is the rainy season or a drought, the residents of Akers continue to suffer.

Over the years, we have called, texted, and made every effort to contact CWSA officials, yet we feel our concerns have been ignored. I personally contacted CWSA on numerous occasions and was transferred to the Belair office (Extension 315), where I spoke with Ms. John. During our conversation, I was informed that the demand for water in Akers exceeds the available supply and that they were uncertain how to resolve the issue. This left us with more questions than answers.

If CWSA is unsure of the cause, why has a comprehensive field assessment not been conducted? Why have engineers not carried out a thorough investigation to determine whether there are significant leaks or infrastructure failures affecting our supply?

Residents have also raised concerns about the design of the system itself. We have been informed that the pipe supplying water into the tank is approximately 2.5 inches, while the outlet pipe carrying water from the tank is 6 Inches. If this information is accurate, it suggests that water is leaving the tank faster than it can be replenished. These concerns have reportedly been raised with CWSA engineers, but we have been told the system is functioning properly despite the ongoing shortages.

Adding to our frustration is the fact that, despite receiving little or no water for much of each day, our monthly water bills remain essentially unchanged. Naturally, residents are questioning whether they are being charged fairly for a service they are not consistently receiving.

Our confidence in CWSA has continued to decline because we feel the concerns of the Akers community have not been treated with the urgency they deserve. If meaningful action had been taken years ago, we believe this problem would not still exist after more than three decades.

Recently, I spoke with CWSA Supervisor Mr. Arnold Horne, who explained that increased water usage during the school vacation was affecting the supply and suggested that service should improve once schools reopen. However, this explanation does not account for the fact that this has been a persistent problem for over 30 years, not simply a seasonal issue.

One of the most difficult periods occurred during Christmas 2024, when residents were left without a reliable water supply for approximately 21 days, before, during, and after Christmas. After the media became involved and public attention was drawn to our situation, water service suddenly improved that very night and remained consistent for approximately three weeks before returning to the same unreliable pattern.

This, naturally, raises questions among residents. If the water supply could be restored after media attention, why has a permanent solution not been implemented? We are simply asking for transparency and honest answers regarding what is causing these ongoing interruptions.

We are not seeking special treatment. We are simply asking for a reliable and consistent supply of water, something every community deserves.

Sending water trucks is not a practical long term solution. Many residents live on steep hillsides or in low-lying areas where transporting water is extremely difficult. Additionally, many elderly residents are physically unable to carry heavy containers of water to their homes. What our community truly needs is a dependable water supply through our household pipes every day.

We respectfully call upon the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Honourable Prime Minister, the media, and the general public to help bring attention to this issue. The residents of Akers have exhausted every avenue available to us. We are pleading for a thorough investigation, accountability, and a permanent resolution to this decades-long problem.

The people of Akers deserve better. Access to clean, reliable water is not a luxury—it is a basic necessity.

Thank you for taking the time to consider our concerns. We sincerely hope this matter receives the urgent attention it deserves.

Jimmy Jack, on behalf of the Community of Akers