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Water Shortage!

The Analyst (Monrovia)
NEWS
November 30, 2005
Posted to the web November 30, 2005

-Diarrhea, Other Epidemics Imminent -LWSC Blames UNMIL, NTGL, US Embassy
Exiled former Liberian President Charles Taylor promised the restoration of
basic social services such as water and electricity as part of his government's
five pillars for the reconstruction of Liberia following years of death and
destruction.
Of course there is no telling that he failed to deliver. When the war that
forced him into exiled closed in on Monrovia and the United National Mission
arrived in Liberia, former UN SRSG Jacques Klein promised the Liberian people
pipe borne water and electricity and he too failed. The National Transitional
Government had managed to get the involvement of some international agencies to
provide clean and safe water to residents of Monrovia, but it appears that it
too is turning out to be a failure as water shortage has hit the city in
addition to lack of electricity.
Despite the much-talked about EU assistance to the Liberia Water and Sewer
Corporation (LWSC) over the last two years, the corporation has been unable to
sustain the system as indicated during the last two weeks of complete cut in
water supply to the capital.
The LWSC authority is blaming it customers, including some diplomatic missions
in Monrovia for the trouble.
Now health officials in Monrovia say water-borne disease epidemics are imminent
unless something is done - and done soon. Our reporter has been finding out
what is amiss.
The Deputy Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC),
Mr. Peter Solo, has indicated that his agency would be unable to provide pipe-
borne water to Monrovia unless those indebted to the system make good their
debts.
Over the past two weeks the hitherto acute water problem in Monrovia and its
suburbs was made worst when the LWSC stopped pumping water to giant reservoirs
in the city. From these reservoirs, the water was trucked or carted in
containers loaded in wheelbarrows and hauled by sweaty young men for
distributed to residents of central Monrovia.
But even that has not been happening, leaving scores of desperate residents of
central and suburban Monrovia to be grubbing for water or drawing mucky water
from abandoned wells and filthy pools no doubt teeming with pathogens.
Across the city children and adults are seeing laden with containers in search
of water wherever it can be found, the condition notwithstanding.
Once this water fetched, there is no telling what is done with it. Some use it
for bathing, cooking, or flushing the sewer systems and seek other sources of
drinking water, but a large number of other residents use it for drinking as
well without doing anything to purify it.
As if the shortage and filthy condition of most of the water available is not
enough headaches for most of the residents, owners of the few chlorinated well
across the city or even open wells have resorted to selling water at higher
than normal prices.
In parts of the city our reporter visited, it was observed that a gallon of
water now sells for between 15 to 50 Liberian dollars depending on the quality
of the water, the disposition of the well owner, and the desperation of the
buyer.
As the result of the emerging conditions brought about by the water shortage,
an average household now spends between 75 and 100 Liberian dollars per day to
obtain water most of which is gem trap, our investigation has shown.
"What we will do? We have to buy water at higher prices because those who own
wells are concentrating on making profits. You either buy at their prices or
you die of thirst," said Marshall Thompson of Carey Street who said they have
cut down water ration to less than half gallon per person.
Before that, he said, a gallon of water was sold at between 5 and 20 Liberian
dollars.
"I was able to pay for enough water for bathing, drinking, washing, and
flushing commodes. But now we have to decide which of these to use water for
and washing is not one of them," he said.
He said before the crisis, his children used to take their clothes to his aunt
on Bushrod Island to wash, but now even the aunt, he said, is as desperate for
water as he.
Marshall said the water he purchases "looks clear and good for drinking" but
not many others are as lucky.
"My brother, we just have to drink this water. We leave everything with God. If
He says we will die, them we will die. There is nothing we can do. No good
water. The last time I have to go to Brewerville to get hand-pump water. But
there is no free water today," said market woman Hawa Flomo of Rally-Time
Market who said she runs a five-family home as a single parent.
In the confusion caused by this shortage, many are relying on the ordinary and
"mineral" water sold in the streets in tied or sealed plastics. Up to the time
of the crisis, the safety of the commercial water was not known neither will it
be known now that water has become a rare pearl despite the huge presence of
the international community that pledged to assist the transitional government
in restoring basic social services.
LWSC authorities in Monrovia told newsmen this week that not only have some
members of the international community and foreign missions that pledged to
help restore water and other social services to the capital failed to deliver
but that they have also contributed to the current problem.
The authorities said the corporation has been unable to pump water into
reservoirs in Monrovia because it is unable to purchase fuel oil to run its
power generators at the White Plains Water Treatment Plants in New Georgia.
"Our major customers have failed to pay their debts," Mr. Solo was quoted by
newsmen as saying Monday.
According to him the corporation's major customers, including the Embassy of
the United States of America, the National Port Authority, the United Nations
Military Mission to Liberia (UNMIL), and the government of Liberia owe a total
of more than US $60,000 in unsettled bills thereby making it impossible for the
corporation to purchase fuel.
Of the amount, UNMIL owes US $58,000 even though it was not said how much the
others owe.
Management sources say the corporation uses 192 gallons of fuel per day to run
its power generators given a rough estimate of US $518.40 along for fuel
besides other operational expenses.
This, Mr. Solo noted, has crippled the corporation's water conveyor facilities,
leaving management with no choice but to cease operation until as such time
that the debtors will find reasons to pay their debts.
He did not say how the money accumulated, but noted that UNMIL has put so much
bureaucratic red tape in the way of payment that it appeared impossible for the
corporation to collect a cent from the peacekeeping force whose first
administrative head, Jacques Paul Klein, promised in 2003 to restore water and
electricity to Monrovia within the first few months of operation which began on
October 1, 2003.
Since Peter Solo's public allegation against the UNMIL, US Embassy, NTGL, NPA
and others, there have been no statements from them either denying or
confirming and explaining to the public what is being done to alleviate their
suffering.
"This is a necessary action to be taken especially by the U.S. Embassy, UNMIL,
and NTGL, but again this Liberia who are who are there to waste precious breath
on?" said one observer who said such blatant disregard for public safety and
health would not have occurred in Ghana, Guinea, or Nigeria, lest to talk about
the United States.
Wherever lies the truth of the matter regarding the acute shortage of water in
densely populated Monrovia and its suburbs, and whatever is being done to
alleviate the situation that is leaving desperate trails of human despair in
the wake, one thing seems clear to health officials: behind the insensitivity
and arguments about payment procedures lurk the dangerous epidemic often
associated with the use of untreated water.
And these are no doubt diarrhea and other water-borne diseases, the killer
diseases that haunt slum dwellers and crowded areas.
Already, according to sources close to the authorities of the Redemption
Hospital in New Kru Town, diarrhea is taking its toll amongst children and
adults, leading to the death of close to 20 to 30 persons per week. Can the
nation afford an epidemic?

   

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