Water woes still
plague residents
PHILIPSBURG--No water through taps is threatening to affect Christmas preparations in some districts as tanks and cisterns continue to run dry despite the recent heavy rains.
With the demand for water greater than the supply, water distributor GEBE’s Managing Director William Brooks told The Daily Herald it was a constant struggle to provide the water to residents as quickly as possible. As fast as the water is pumped to the tanks it flows back out to residents, he added.
Water from Enerserve’s production plant to the tank and then to residents often runs out too quickly, causing air to build up in the pipes and making it necessary to shut off the water, especially to houses high on the hillsides, to extract air and prevent damage to the pipes.
Dutch Quarter, St. Peters and Philipsburg were plagued with water shortages during the weekend, much to the chagrin of residents who were busy with chores and preparing their homes for the holidays.
Water only trickling through taps or no water at all in some cases will continue until the end of the month when new Air-Fin water plant in Lowlands comes on-line. In the interim, water is being bought from the French side, as it has been for the past two weeks, to supplement the short supply as much as possible.
