Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,461
K
Offline
K
going on 3 weeks


Belize based travel specialist
www.belize-trips.com
[email protected]
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,479
S
Offline
S
It took me about 2 minutes on the Internet to find a 15HP well pump. For them to be down for 3 weeks and say it will be mid June before it's fixed is ludicrous and stinks of total incompetence.

Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

SHORTAGE OF WATER IN WESTERN VILLAGE

The Chairman of Cristo Rey Village in the Cayo District says officials are addressing the concerns of residents over a shortage of water in the village.

"The residents of Cristo Rey village have resorted to drawing water from the nearby river or rely on a daily supply from a water truck that is brought into the village. That is because for the past month, the village's water system has been out of operation. A broken pump has rendered the rudimentary water system inoperable and these days the only thing coming from the tap is hot air. Chairman of the village Jovani Montalban told Love News on Sunday, that the delay in restoring the system is because a suitable 15 horsepower pump could not be located quickly. Montalban says that a replacement pump has now been found in the United States and that all efforts are made to get the much needed piece of equipment in-country as soon as possible. Barring any unforeseen difficulties, the Cristo Rey village chairman is hoping that by the middle of June, the rudimentary water system will be fully restored and that water will again be flowing through the pipes in the village. In the meantime, he is appealing to his villagers to bear a little bit more patience as the problem is being worked on. Callers to the Love FM Morning Show have on various occasions, lamented the lack of running water in the village; but Montalban says that the concerns of the people have not fallen on deaf ears and that he, along with the area representative have been working together to minimize the inconveniences of the over one thousand residents of this tight-knit community. A few of the residents we spoke with at the riverside on Sunday afternoon, told Love News that it is very difficult being without running water for so long. It is an added financial burden for man as they have had to be buying bottled water for drinking and cooking. When asked, the residents say that even if boiled, they cannot consume the river water for fear of it being contaminated with high levels of mercury. So in the meantime the villagers of Cristo Rey will continue to rely on doing laundry in the river and maybe even the dishes; as officials work to fix the broken pump and restore the community's water system."

LOVEFM


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

Pipes dry in Cristo Rey


Water Crisis

Water is an essential to life and healthy living. But for residents of Cristo Rey village in the Cayo district it is a commodity that is in short supply and has been scarce for over a month now. On Sunday, Love TV's Patrick Jones went to the village to talk with residents about their plight. Here is what he found.

LOVETV


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

Cristo Rey villagers dependent on truck for water

In the west, a community has been without potable water for well over a month. The water pump has been out of commission for six weeks now and the villagers of Cristo Rey have been coping by resorting to the Macal River. The village chairman is not giving any comfort to the seven hundred plus villagers and there is no indication of when the running water will become available again. News Five's Andrea Polanco files this report.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

For over six weeks, the Cristo Rey residents haven't had potable water running through their pipes and pumps. Gallons, drums, and buckets are stock piled in most yards to get water from the river. Villagers like Nadine Jones who has a vehicle, uses that to transport water for daily usage. But even so, she says it's inconvenient.

Nadine Jones

Nadine Jones, Resident, Cristo Rey

"Oh yes, aha, because everything you know, just run to the pipe and there is water and everything fuh wash, bathe and cook; suh you know right now we don't have that facility."

Andrea Polanco

"So for you to wash, they have to haul the water for you?"

Nadine Jones, Resident, Cristo Rey

"Aha yes, my husband goes to the river and get some water for us to wash."

And for senior citizen, Dana Lain, the lack of water is even harder on her.

Dana Lain, Resident, Cristo Rey

"It's been very hard for me because I don't have any helpers and I have a damaged neck and back and my knee needs replacement so I can only carry a gallon at a time. All my systems; I have several backup systems but each one requires me to personally carry water into the house and that has been very hard on me."

And then there are villagers who must make do with water from the Macal River. On a regular day, many families would be washing, bathing and swimming in the river; a water source that has high levels of mercury. In recent weeks, a number of illnesses has been reported:

Cynthia Espat

Cynthia Espat, Resident, Cristo Rey

"Well right now we go to the river and wash like how we have our car we could bring water from the river and full. Right now this week I went to the river and right now, all my body itch from my leg, everything. Right now I buy just crystal water for my baby to drink because I don't want mek she drink the dirty water from the river."

Andrea Polanco

"So, do you know of other people who are getting sick in the village, other babies, etc?"

Cynthia Espat

"Yes, my friend she have her baby right now that she ker to the hospital and the baby pass like grasses in his poo and the doctor tell her maybe it's the water from the river and well in Cristo Rey, I heard that a man who has his daughter, they find an infection in her belly and right now she is at Flores."

Andrea Polanco

"Now, do you know if there are other people who are still drinking water from the river?"

Cynthia Espat

"Yes, they drink a lot of water from the river, like those people who can't afford to buy crystal water. The other day there was a cow dead in the river and like that they drink the water."

The village is normally supplied by this reservoir, which is located about five miles away from the center of the village. But according to Giovanni Montolban, Chairman of Cristo Rey, the pump in the village square has malfunctioned:

Giovanni Montolban, Chairman of Cristo Rey

"The situation back there in Cristo Rey is that the pump got burned and we informed Rural Development as who are the persons in charge of Water Boards and I informed Mr. Hilly Lopez, so we have good communication with them. They lent us a seven point five but it didn't because our pump is a fifteen horse power so we tried that for a few days and it pumped water to the tank but didn't satisfy the village."

Dana Lain

That pump later failed as well. But it has been over a month, and the villagers haven't received an official word from the Water Board nor Village Council.

Dana Lain

"There is a lot of rumor and that's one of the problems; is that there hasn't been a meeting to tell everyone all at one time, what the story is. So the rumor says two weeks ago, it would be here in two weeks; a week ago, it would be two weeks, now I guess it is still two weeks."

Andrea Polanco

"Do you believe that you guys haven't dealt with that end of it as properly as you would've wanted?"

Giovanni Montolban

Giovanni Montolban

"Well, officially yes, no meeting has been conducted in the village and I agree with that. I believe that I will speak with the Chairman of the Water Board because I am assisting him at the moment because he has already take a lot."

So when exactly will the water be restored in the village? Montolban says they have put in an order for a new one; in the interim they are now using a water truck to supply drinking water; the only problem is, the truck is unable to supply the village every day and it has to wet roads:

Giovanni Montolban

"The notice is that we haven't get a pump at the moment but we have already get contacts from outside from the U.S that we have somebody up here that have already located a pump for us."

Andrea Polanco

"At this time, there is no specific date when this pump is arriving in Cristo Rey?"

Giovanni Montolban

"Not yet because I haven't reach to the person and get details when it will be shipped. They said they will tell us when it will be shipped and it will arrive on the same day. At the moment we are trying to help the people with water truck so that they can get some water daily but sometimes not daily; we can't satisfy the village in one day, to satisfy the village, it takes like three days. I would like to say to the village that they really have to be minding their water now because I have already been told that the truck has to wet roads."

Channel 7


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

CRISTO REY VILLAGERS STILL WAITING FOR WATER

It has been forty five days and counting since residents of Cristo Rey village have been without running water in the community.  A busted water pump has rendered the village’s rudimentary water system inoperable. On Wednesday night, the Cristo Rey Water Board held a community meeting to update the villagers on what is being done to restore the water supply.  Alfredo Guerra is the chairman of the Cristo Rey Water Board, and he told Love FM’s Patrick Jones that it will be a while longer before the broken water system is fixed.

 

ALFREDO GUERRA, Chairman of Cristo Rey Water Board

“So according to what we discuss tonight we’re just going to wait and see what will happen tomorrow and chairman of the village, Jovanni Montalvano, is going to have a meeting and we’ll just have to wait and see what will happen tomorrow.”

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“I was told, last week that a pump had been secured and was just waiting to be shipped to Belize.  What happened to that?

ALFREDO GUERRA, Chairman of Cristo Rey Water Board

“According to what I know, somebody from US have arrived here in Belize they had a meeting last night and we are waiting but according to - you see the people tonight, so we’re just going to move as quickly as possible.”

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“In the meantime how are people coping without running water?”

ALFREDO GUERRA, Chairman of Cristo Rey Water Board

“Well they’re going to the river according to what I see they are taking water from the river.  Hope they are not drinking that water because that is not safe to drinking water.”

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“Mr. Chairman it’s been over a month, a month and a half.  This is almost a crisis situation now. I mean, what’s next?  When will you get water back to your people?”

ALFREDO GUERRA, Chairman of Cristo Rey Water Board

“Well as quickly as possible.  According to what we heard tonight.  We are just going to wait a little and I hope we’ll soon have water.”

The chairman of the village council, Jovani Montalvano gave residents a commitment to liaise with the Rural Development Department today to get the ball rolling on a plan B to get a pump in country post haste.  Secretary of the Village Council Elmer Juarez says last night’s meeting, which brought out most if not all of the residents was specifically designed to update them on the progress of fixing the water problem in the village.

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“The chairman had explained to the community that the problem with the water pump is that there was one organization that had agreed to donate the water pump to the community but unfortunately they were taking long.  It’s an organization that they had to meet first with their members and they had to agree and it was taking a little bit long and they had the other option of getting it through Rural Development. What the people agreed was that they want water now, they’re really urgent of water.  We did went with the second option, so the chairman has committed to call first thing in the morning to Rural Development so that the pump that we had located in US is shipped down so as soon as that pump arrives we’re hoping that we’re going to restore water”.

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“Mr. Juarez, forty five days, that’s an extraordinary amount of time to be without running water.  In this day and age why hasn’t that problem been resolved?  I mean you yourself could have gotten on a plane and gone to pick up the pump yourself.”

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“One of the biggest issue is that the Water Board itself has not had the finance and one of those issues has to do with people in the community have not been paying their water bills and I think that’s one of the issues that – well I am not a member of the Water Board but I’ve been addressed many times in meetings and I think that they had been very lenient with people and it’s time now that a new Water Board has been nominated and this issue just came up at the time that they were supposed to take over, so I think that that’s one of the issue that is going to be addressed. That whereby all these people are not meeting up to their payments will have to because that’s one of the ways the finance is going to come in.  I mean, if we had the finance, if the Water Board had the finance, the Village Council had that enough finance we won’t have to be depending on any of the ministries and now I believe that the community itself would have been able to deal with the matter.”

 

And while the search for a pump continues, arrangements have been made to deliver water to villagers using a water truck. And the village leaders are appealing to residents not to drink the untreated water from the river or from the water truck.

 

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“Our advice is that people from here, from the village, please do not drink the water from the river because it is not safe.  If you are going to use it please boil that water for drinking.”

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“And in the meantime, how do they get water?  Are you facilitating a delivery of water to people’s houses?

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“Yeah, we have a truck everyday delivering water to the villagers and the water is not safe for drinking.  Just for use of washing or so.”

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“What is the delay now as far as you could tell? Do you have a pump or do you don’t have a pump?”

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“Right now we don’t have a pump but we are just waiting.”

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“So while you’re waiting you’re asking for your villagers to be patient with you?”

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“Yeah, please be patient and wait a little until we get that pump.”  

Juarez, like the water board chairman, is appealing to residents of Cristo Rey to bear a little bit more patience as the problem of the water shortage is worked out.

 

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“Well, all we can say right now is to bear a little bit more patience.  We are with that positive mind that we’ll get back water again very soon, for it has been unfortunate.  It has been forty five days but there have been many many problems, many many issues which were addressed tonight and I believe that the people here in the community, they are people that really understand and all I am asking is for their corporation and their little patience.  A little bit more of patience and am very sure we’ll be getting the water back again.”

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“What about the complaint that the water truck isn’t delivering fast enough to everybody on time?”

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“Well the chairman addressed that tonight.  He didn’t knew about many of the parents but he knows about that now and that’s one of the other issue he is going to address tomorrow morning first thing in the morning and somebody has volunteered, cause apparently it has to do with the person that is delivering the water or something - according to the people.  So what is going to happen is that this person has committed himself to make sure that his truck starts from the beginning of the building – of the village sorry.  It is going to deliver to household, every house hold and he also mentioned that he is going to get a book and he is going to write down the names of the people who are getting to make sure that the people are getting water.  If the truck – because according to the chairman the truck will take or should take three days to deliver water to the whole village so you should be getting water in the other three days and that’s not been happening cause it looks like they’ve been skipping houses so that has been addressed already.

PATRICK JONES, Reporter

“My final question to you -  Is there a time table as to when water will be flowing through these pipes again?

ELMER JUAREZ, Secretary of Cristo Rey Village Council

“We have not – we didn’t set a time because all will depend on that contact that the chairman will have tomorrow.”      

A follow up meeting is planned for next Wednesday at which time villagers will be given an update on the progress of fixing the busted Cristo Rey water system.

LOVEFM



Cristo Rey water crisis continues


Crisis in Cristo Rey

The residents of Cristo Rey village in the Cayo district are still waiting for a restoration of their water system. Love TV's Patrick Jones and video journalist Myles Gillett went back to the village last night for an update on the ongoing water crisis.

LOVETV


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

After two months without water, residents of Cristo Rey village, Cayo finally got relief on Saturday, July 7. A pump was located and installed and water is again flowing through the pipes in Cristo Rey village.

After 75 days without water, residents of Cristo Rey village are finally able to turn on the taps again and get the precious liquid instead of hot air. Thanks to ALL who worked to get the pump and the guys who worked through the weekend to restore the water system.



Link Copied to Clipboard
March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Cayo Espanto
Click for Cayo Espanto, and have your own private island
More Links
Click for exciting and adventurous tours of Belize with Katie Valk!
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 359 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums44
Topics79,199
Posts500,011
Members20,460
Most Online7,413
Nov 7th, 2021



AmbergrisCaye.com CayeCaulker.org HELP! Visitor Center Goods & Services San Pedro Town
BelizeSearch.com Message Board Lodging Diving Fishing Things to Do History
BelizeNews.com Maps Phonebook Belize Business Directory
BelizeCards.com Picture of the Day

The opinions and views expressed on this board are the subjective opinions of Ambergris Caye Message Board members
and not of the Ambergris Caye Message Board its affiliates, or its employees.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5