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Residents of Maxfield Avenue and Jones Town in Kingston are facing a water crisis. The residents told THE STAR that they have been without regular water supply since November last year, and when they do get water, it's often coloured.

Paul, a resident of Barnes Avenue in Maxfield, said that this water crisis is the worst he has ever seen.

"From mi a bwoy, wi a have water problem. But mi a tell yuh, if water do come for a day or two, yuh know seh all three, four, even five month, wi nuh see it again," he said.

"And yuh see when di water come, a mud water. It red, and yuh know seh not even wash yuh cyaan wash wid di mud water much less fi drink."

Another resident of Alexander Drive in Maxfield lamented that the lack of water is affecting her personal hygiene.

"Sometime mi all wah bathe, and not a water. Water come last night, but it dirty, full a debris. Wi haffi wait how long fi it run off," she said.

BROKEN PIPE

To tackle the problem, residents have resorted to filling their pots and pans at a broken National Water Commission (NWC) pipe in the community. But one resident complained that the area is normally overcrowded with people trying to get the scarce commodity.

"Mi tired fi a carry water everyday. Sometimes yuh come to the pipe, and yuh have fi a wait how long because sometime whole heap a vehicle park out ya. All when yuh come out five o'clock in the morning, out ya ram. Sometime yuh haffi a wait all one hour," she said.

This broken pipe serves residents in Rose Town, Arnett Gardens, Greenwich Road and Barnes Avenue.

Meanwhile, in Jones Town, one resident told THE STAR that they have found ways to sterilise the coloured water that has been coming through their pipes.

"Wi have to wait till di dirt run off, and dat can take all two days. We haffi sterilise it, boil it and mek it settle for drinking purpose," she said.