Degazon, Saint Lucia — After four consecutive weeks without running water, frustrated residents of Degazon have shared an open letter with the press, appealing for urgent relief and accusing the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) of offering little clarity or concrete solutions to their prolonged ordeal.
“For the past four weeks, the community of Degazon has been without running water,” the letter reads. “Despite multiple attempts to seek assistance from WASCO, each response has been met with a different excuse, but no resolution.”
The letter, signed by residents of the area, paints a grim picture of daily life, where households have run dry and are now forced to purchase water for cooking, cleaning, and basic hygiene. With schools closed and children at home, families say the burden has become unbearable. “Personally, I have a baby and a daughter preparing to enter Form 1. This has made the situation even more stressful,” one resident shared in the open letter.
The residents are pleading for the provision of water trucks as a temporary measure while service is being restored. “This is a paid service, and yet we are made to struggle repeatedly for access to a basic human necessity,” the letter continues, warning that if the crisis remains unresolved, they will turn to media and public demonstrations for attention.
In response to the growing outcry, WASCO confirmed that trucking is ongoing to affected communities, including Degazon. However, a representative acknowledged the challenges in reaching higher elevation areas, such as those in upper Piat and Grand Riviere. “Some areas… to the very top, the truck is not able to go to these places. It’s a little dangerous for the drivers,” the company stated. “The truck we’re using is the larger one from the South, which makes maneuvering steep concrete roads more difficult.”
WASCO also pointed to several operational challenges contributing to the water shortages. These include low production due to clogged intakes in the North, worsened by inconsistent rainfall, and the recent breakdown of key pumps in Piat and the John Compton Dam (JCD). “Those pumps have since been replaced,” the representative confirmed, “but the production itself remains low because we have to clean the intakes before we can resume full output.”
Despite the constraints, the utility says it is committed to providing relief. “We understand that people need relief… we’re just waiting to get the specifics from Water Services as to what days the trucks will be in the areas. If we have to do the Town cryer again, we will.
WASCO has pledged to share its trucking schedule with affected communities once finalized.
Residents, meanwhile, say they will continue to advocate for consistent updates and meaningful action to resolve what they describe as a deepening humanitarian concern.
Saint Lucia Daily Post will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
