By Maimuma S.W. Barry
The residents of Bush Town in Sami District of the Central River Region north (CRR) have registered their unsatisfactory drinking of dirty water which is been going on for over three decades, as the only available drinking water is red in colour.
The village has a population of about one thousand and eight hundred (1800) people. However, the residents said the water they have been drinking for the past years is red in color and contain some particles.
Speaking to The Voice, Tumani Cessay, public relation officer for Bush Town Youth Development Association (BTYDA) said lack of sufficient and clean drinking water is one of the major constraints of the community.
He said the water they fetch from the borehole is red in color, which they always sieve before they can drink it due to the nature of the water which could be described as unhygienic and unhealthy for human consumption.
“Whenever, we open our taps, especially in the morning we will see the water red in color coming out with particles,” he explained.
PRO Ceesay noted that in the past health officials advised the villagers to abandon their hand pump because the water is filthy.
Buram Ceesay, Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson for Bush Town described the condition of the community as awful, saying the water they fetch from the borehole is constantly filthy.
“If we were having another option, we will not drink,” he said.
However, he explained that the community has a beneath bedrock; therefore, for them to get clean water there is need for the borehole to be dug until it pass that bedrock.
Yunus Sawaneh, cashier of the VDC complained same.
Ebrima Jallow, water and sanitation engineer said: “Normal water should be colorless and odorless. However, water could have some imperative agents. Sometimes this agent could not deter people from drinking it but sometimes could deter them from drinking the water.”
“The water may not have health effects on people but it has economical effects such as turning the colour of your cloths when you wash it with such water.” he noted.
He advised authorities to conduct laboratory water analysis in order to determine whether the water should be drink or not. He added that water sample should be collected by an expert to avoid contaminating the water prior the laboratory test.
Yahya Jobe, water resource coordinator for the Central River Region said he was late to get the information about the polluted water because the borehole was provided byCILIP.
He added that his office will work with the resident of Bush Town in order to test the water.