Dominicans are being asked to hang on a little bit longer, as their sole water company DOWASCO seeks to rectify problems in their system.
Several communities around the country have been without water following heavy flooding triggered by the passage of tropical storm Ophelia.
DOWASCO’s General Manager Bernard Etinoff said water has been restored in several parts of the country but pointed out the company has stumbled upon several hurdles.
“As we speak there is water in Canefield, in some areas of Mahaut, Massacre and some areas in Roseau. As we continue to clear the intake and more water pressure increases, we are discovering that there are several broken pipes in several areas. Some as a result of the flooding and the debris that was transported in heavy waters, some as a result of clearing heavy equipment. As we restore water in these areas, we are discovering those broken lines and we are doing the repairs at the same time. It will take some time before everywhere will receive water,” he explained.
He said the company has also taken a decision to increase its man power to tackle the problem.
“We are putting all our men to work in these areas. In fact all our crews will be at work to try to restore water around the country. We are still discovering leaks around the system as we go along,’ he added.
Etinoff said the situation at their Springfield intake is not good.
“We have quite a few men there, with chain saws trying to break up the stones and to get filtrations before things can go back to normal. Salisbury is experiencing problems right now and that is because even after water was restored last night, there was some air-lock on the system,” he said.
DOWASCO is also apologizing to the public.
and i dont care what the goverment have to say dam them
yeah it was sad in a way but it doesnt matter to me
@justice and peace i am just being THANKFUL and GREATFUL,thank u to.
in river estate is one minute we have next minute it gone, thank God for the river ::))
This will happen. Under the circumstances some people will have water for a while so that everyone gets some water until it is completely restored.
When the water is restored, fill some containers – pails and pots in the event the water is taken again.
ALOT OF R U AN’T BATHE
My prayers are with people of Dominica. Where is that house located in massacre can’t figure it out.
The selfish comments of some people on this matter is totally ridiculous. Thanks to the workers at Dowasco. Your job is monumental in times like these. The aftermaths of the destruction of nature is never easy to deal with. Keep supplying water.
Sometimes I really wonder why are we such an ungrateful people. We had those floods without any deaths. Shouldnot this be something to praise our Father for. Now we are making comparisons and even blaming Dowasco’s Manager and asking for him to be “fired”. People are we serious? do you read the news about the disaster happenning over in the world.
Let us be patient – The company has asked us to be patient. Let us be thankful since it could have been worse. Stop commenting nonesense and go on your knees and thank the Father for his grace and mercies.
Thank you Father ABBA! Let us pray for the workers who are working feverishly to bring back things to normalcy. OH Father bless them mightily and give them the strength to go through in the Name of yoru son – Jesus Christ whom you sent to die for our sins.
The stories are many in Canada as well. There is also major flooding in certain areas after winter also after a hurricane. Some people lose all their belongings when water seeps into their homes.
There are also snow storms with high winds and summer storms with lightning and thunder. This is another story. I heard the thunder. Generally I turn off the computer but tonight I took a chance not to turn it off and to access DNO.
A pipe burst in a certain area and there is flooding. I heard this week that a pipe burst and it created a huge crater, the size of a bus. Just imagine!
A few years ago Toronto or rather Ontario had a black-out which commenced at 4:30 pm. It also affected parts of the U.S.
My household electricity was not restored until the following morning around 4:00 am.
Some people did not have lights and water for a few days. One lady in another area complained that she did not have a bathe for three days. Consider in a big country you are not without water. Where do you go to, to get water?
Thank God that I was fortunate to be indoors that Friday. When the lights went off I quickly filled some containers with water.
Fortunately I had some and flashlights. The Saturday afternoon I went to the store. I spoke to a lady who told me that their lights returned but went out again; they have no lights and that she came to the store to get some candles but they were all sold out.
It is like umbrellas. When it is raining, all umbrellas are sold out.
Some people’s frozen goods went bad and had to be thrown out; no doubt, also the stores.
There are occasions that lights will go off in the area as occurred a few weeks ago. I heard that this one was due to a major accident which was not even in the vicinity where I resided. I later heard on the news that a car went out of control and ploughed into an electrical pole. My lights flickered but did not go out. All the stores in the area had no lights for a few hours. Pigeons could also cause this when they touch certain wires.
The stores were shut down for some hours because their cash register was inoperable and also to avoid looting/stealing.
Even then sometimes on Saturdays or Sundays the light could go off. Imagine cooking or getting dressed and whatever else and the lights go off. The stories go on and on.
As long as we are in the world, there will be disasters of every sort. Yes! It is an inconvenience to us.
It is not fun not having water and also electricity. We can do without electricity at least for a while but water is a necessity.
Fellow Dominicans who are affected I pray that water will be restored. God be with you. Have patience. I do hope the rivers are back to normal, at least they are not polluted as the lakes in those foreign lands.
God bless you!
of course canefield will have is there he living. the least they can do is at least pass with water trucks..come on man..Kingshill does not have water since Tuesday
Now all you conveniently saying “we not in America”. But all although times all you want to be just like America and the rest of the developed countries.
Anyway, I thought DA was seeing progress with all the new hotels, roads/highway, airport upgrade that was being done and boasted about. So why a little storm like this have you all without water for soo many days? I hope when that big hotel opens and is full of guest you will not feel shame when they give the country a black eye when basic necessities are still not up to par.
It took America and the other “developed” countries over two hundred years to be where they are today. We are still a young nation seeing more development under this administration than any before it.
So what is your point?
Look at what happened in New Orleans during Katrina. America so “developed,” why didn’t it prevent this from happening. So many people were stuck in the convention center without basic necessity for days.
In big AMERICA.
Hahahahahahaha
@ Buwo
You are correct. I recall Katrina. This was something else. 700 or more people died. It was so pathetic to see and view on TV. To this day, they are not all yet back to normal. Some homes are not yet constructed. We pray that this never happens in DA.
You just said it, a hurricane! So did a hurricane hit Dominica?
And the only reason why New Orleans ended up in that state is because they were a forgotten state because of all the poverty and all the blacks. It was a shock to most Americans that right in their back yard all these years was a “third world” condition they never knew existed. It was an eye opener to America and the rest of the world. So why can’t we ever open our eyes and see where we need to make?
Problem is everytime there is a lot of rainfall water is dirty and gone. Lights gone is a frequent thing. This has been going on for years! Are there any measures to prevent this happening ALL the time!?
My point is we are putting emphasis on the wrong development. We need to ensure our basic necessities are up to par. Can we afford to have thousands of tourist getting ill and then a ban placed on Dominica? See what happen to Mexico and H1N1
What is your point Toneh??????
I am confused Toneh
For the one that say this could not happen in America. Have you watched any of the American news channels or you just watch movies? we have to watch NEWS to know what is happening in the world an stop gossip. do you know tha lightening blow some electrical fuse in New York and trains were not running for 24 hours up to this morning Friday 30th September 2011? We just saw what GOD can do and we are not trying to improve but to put down another human being. Would you like the same for a family member of yours?
We had the 2004 earthquake, we just had the flood that Dominicans had never seen, don’t you think these are warnings?
Instead of the tongue bashing, please learn to put our knees down and start to pray if were are not doing it.
May we think before we type. God Bless us.
Yes God Child – May we think before we type. May we think before we put our mouth in gear and the list goes on. May we stop with the slander and bashing and bringing anothe down. Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
Thanks God Child!
Say what, Isecond your comment. S0me people behave like donkeys.
Patience is a virtue.
yes this is true we really are charge people realize what i say people. not country.I remember in the time of hurricane david we stayed months without water and light. And i cannot remember any body thinking that was a major concern.WHAT WERE PEOPLE MORE CARE ABOUT WAS THERE NEIGHBOR were they ok did they have some where to stay did they have something to eat. This little storm that affected one part of the island and all some people do is critize.MAN
we not in usa da we there stop all the nonsense taking about where that get and where that not yet have water and so on they have to fix it and then we get water,maybe some people need to go give a hand and you get the water faster did u all just see what took place two days ago come on you all make me sick
and what was the problem with Giraudel?
Its 2:45 and we stil have no water in elmshall. He said that the Springfield system is back up. wonder y is it taking so long for water to reach elmshall. I imagine kingshill and newtown have none too
We do not have at Newtown but I have the commonsense to understand that the Reservoir has to fill up first so that we can get a regular flow!!
“Etinoff said the situation at their Springfield intake is not good” taken from the news Report above.
This is what Mr Etinnoffe said and not what you are saying in your comment.
Does DOWASCO have a strategic plan in response to emergancies such as this one..or do they resolve these issues on a as they come basis???? Am just asking!!!
Fire the manager for his incompetence this could never happen in America.
we are not in America and doing things the American way is not always best!!
Sometimes I wonder when people go America they just go to make themselves more tehbeh.
How could the manager be blamed for the floods that causing the water shortage? Many things happen in America everyday that is beyond the control of anyone.
Donald stop being a country bookie. You in America now.
Hahahahahahahaha
That is a stupid comment.I live in Houston,Texas and was there when Hurricane Ike came through.The Electric company took the power the Friday night just before the storm came through.I stayed without power for days,the power came back on on Thursday night.That is six days without power and in America everything works on electricity even the stove.There were people who stayed without power for like a month.So things like that can happen in America,ours weren’t water but it was electricity.So calm your down and be patient.
My my, we are now making comparisons between little Dominica and the big ole U.S of A.
Do you really think this only happens in Dominica, I’ve experienced water shortage in the UK.
The manager of DOWASCO is not to blame. Lets exercise a little patience. We’ve had no water since mid Thursday morning, but we shouldn’t bitch about it. Remember the MARPIN worker seriously hurt while at work, we were all sadden and concerned. Now the DOWASCO workers are working non-stop, so lets let them do their work in a timely fashion and not rush and heavens forbid have an accident.
While we await the return of running water, we are using the water collected during the heavy downpour, and buying water for drinking.
Holla Donald Tusk I would give you the opportunity to head this department but only after the Floods, then I will see what kind of manager you are then you will be given the Job permanently! LOL
This did happen in America in August when Tropical Storm Irene tore it’s way up the East coast. We had huge flooding, no electricity for over a week, huge trees uprooted and falling on houses andmy house flooded. America didn’t get it cleaned up any faster but they worked around the clock and did the best they could. Just as Dominica is doing. These disasters don’t get fixed in one day!!!! Come to America when we get bad snowstorms with four feet of snow and lose our power and have no heat when it’s -5 degrees (-20 Celsius)You need to do some serious thinking!
@ Donald Tusk
What could not happen in America? You must be joking. America you say? There are all kinds of disasters occurring in America. Have you forgotten? America has floods and forest fires, also some bad summer and winter storms which have devastated many acres of land and houses. We never know when disasters will strike. Every one gets a turn at the wheel some time. Let us pray to God that we will not be affected.
thanks for the updates u guys are wonderful will have water pretty soon great job guys fixing.
@ fatty batty
Here is a grateful person with high spirits and perseverance. Way to go!
We do have to make the most of what we have for the situation could be worst and get worst. God is testing Dominicans residents, their love, spirit, patience and perseverance.