WESTERN BUREAU: Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor for the Lilliput area of St James, Harold Henry, is calling on the National Water Commission to undertake an assessment of the water mains in that community and to ensure that the existing pipes are in good working order.

According to Henry, a number of water mains in the community have recently developed leaks as a result of the poor workmanship in the laying of the pipes and the inferior quality of materials used.

“On numerous occasions the broken pipes have resulted in the flooding of homes, damage to properties and the waste of millions of gallons of water,” Henry told the Observer.

On Sunday, over 80 residents of Lilliput used large boulders and tree trunks to block sections of the road leading into the community. The roadblock was staged to protest against the flooding of their premises, due to a broken water main.

Lilliput resident, May Duncan, told the Observer on Sunday, that sections of her yard and her sewerage pit were flooded as a result of water coming from the broken main. She added that at least 50 more households in the community were affected.

But on Sunday, after an NWC crew arrived on the scene and disconnected the water supply and alleviated the problem, residents later helped the police remove the roadblock they had earlier mounted.

But the councillor argued that the demonstration was necessary because the residents have had persistent problems with leaking pipes.

“We have (had) leaking pipes for a very long time, water is always leaking on the road and we are tired of calling the National Water Commission. Wi call them three, four times a week over the last three months and them don’t come,” Henry said.

But while the disconnection of the water has halted the flooding, it also left the entire community without water up to late Monday afternoon.

Community Relations Officer at the NWC’s regional office, Lisa Golding, told the Observer that water should return to the community by Monday night. She explained that after the residents’ protest on Sunday, a decision was taken by the NWC to disconnect the water supply in order to prevent the excessive waste of water and any possible damage to homes.

According to her, that was the best option available at that time as no crew was available to effect the necessary repairs.