Sarnia water crisis continues

DESPITE a meeting arranged to address the water issues in the Sarnia area, residents said the situation has worsened and their complaints have fallen on deaf ears.

Residents in and around Sarnia have been experiencing ongoing water cuts due to a number of burst pipes for more than two months now and no solution has been proposed.

“Almost two weeks after the meeting, which was addressed by the engineers, there are still no tankers which we requested and there have been more than six burst pipes since,” said Glen Park Neighbourhood Watch PR, Sharman Collins.

During the heated meeting, where residents raised their issues and demanded for the top management to come and address them, the Sarnia community was assured it would be given all the answers in three months.

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“We have been told that if we received high water bills we have to pay them and then take it up with the water department, what a joke,” said an irate Collins.

The residents said they certainly have no confidence in any further meetings.

“It is clear that they are not prepared to help us in any way. All the broken pipes and rubble have also not been removed off peoples’ verges for months despite ongoing requests,” explained Collins.

More burst pipes

Birches Pre-Primary School principal, Scilla Edmonds, said, the last time the school reported a burst pipe, it got worse.

“We waited six hours for the phone to be answered. We arrived at school at 6am and found water pouring down the road. We got through at 1pm and got someone to come and look that day at 2pm. The gushing water was finally sorted late in the afternoon, and days later, they returned to repair the road.

“The meeting revealed how bad the situation is and the complaints made were valid. The water was off and on last week and there was no water again on Monday until midday.”

ALSO READ: Pavilion supports city’s water awareness campaign 

With two grandparents days being held this week, Edmonds asked how do they entertain guests when they needed buckets of water to flush toilets.

“Sarnia has their own stories to tell. Thank goodness there was rain this weekend so our tanks are replenished for a while,” she said.

Ward 18 councillor, Melanie Brauteseth, who organised the meeting, said many issues were raised from frustrated residents and all the problems will be reported to the heads of department asking them to address these urgent issues.

“I will continue to drive this matter with the department and will have a report back meeting in three months. The water department is currently installing PRV (pressure reducing values) in various areas which is the first step to address the water problems.

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