“Life is so hard and I envy those families who
do have water because they have no idea what it’s like to live without water. We can live without electricity but we can’t live without water…”
The Managing Director of the Samoa Water Authority (S.W.A), Seugamaali’i Jammie Saena, has assured the restless residents of Aleisa East that their “lifetime drought” will soon end.
Assuring that water is on the way, the Managing Director says the Authority is investigating for “an alternative source” whereby water could be provided for hundreds of residents in the area.
When that is likely to happen though, she did not say.
“As previously discussed, the higher parts of Aleisa Sasa'e is at a higher elevation than the Tapatapao Water Treatment Plant,” she wrote in an email to the Samoa Observer.
“Feeding this part from the Tapatapao Water Treatment Plant (W.T.P) is not possible at this time but S.W.A have begun investigations for an alternative source.”
So why has it taken this long for the Authority – and the government for that matter - to find water for Aleisa East, which is only a twenty-minute drive from the high rises of Apia?
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“More and more people have moved to areas where our system does not exist,” Seugamaali’i says. “As mentioned, we are looking into
Aleisa Sasa’e for possible scenarios to the water supply and the funding to cater for a possible solution.”
The message from the Authority’s Managing Director is good news for Aleisa East residents.
But when the Samoa Observer visited the area yesterday, the families there were not convinced, saying they have heard the same thing over and over.
In the boiling sun, mothers and their children were carting around buckets in the search for water.
One resident, Naomi Mosese, who grew up in the area described the situation as a “lifetime drought.”
“When we grew up, we saw our parents suffer to find water and here we are today doing the same thing,” she said.
“Now we have children of our own and still nothing has been done.”
The Moseses rely on water tank. The best season for them is the Cyclone season because it brings a lot of rain. But they dread the dry season.
“We have a water tank but it’s only when it rains then there will be water in the tank. But for the rest of the year, we have walk down the road to cart up water for our needs.”
Ms. Mosese said they have visited the Samoa Water Authority countless times.
“They told us we have to pay $220tala first,” she said. “It’s $20tala for the survey and $200 for the permit which is ridiculous.”
“As a citizen of Samoa, it’s very sad because we live in a country that is supposed to be a developing country. For us here, we don't feel part of it. What do we have to do to get some water up here?”
Ms. Mosese said the Authority also promised to send up the water truck.
“That simply doesn't happen,” she said. “We are tired of living like this so please help us by giving us some water so that we can have a rest from this nightmare.”
Another resident, Afe Talai, who has been a resident of Aleisa Sasa’e for 14 years, has two problems to worry about. They are electricity and water.
“My husband and I have been living here for 14 years now,” she said. “We moved here in 2001 and from that time, there was no water, no electricity and from that time until now it’s still the same problem.”
Ms. Talai said they have to pay $50tala to families who own cars every time so they could get their water.
“We both don’t work and we live out of our plantation, so whatever money we get, we save it to pay for the family car to deliver our water up.”
“Life is so hard and I envy those families who do have water because they have no idea what it’s like to live without water.”
“We can live without electricity but we can’t live without water and that’s why I humbly ask the Samoa Water Authority and the government to please help us.”
“Help our village, we have been suffering for so long from not having water so I am asking you all to please consider our request and get some water up here.”
Last week, another desperate Aleisa East resident wrote a letter to the Samoa Observer. Published under the headline “Desperate for Water,” the letter reads:
Re: Best Impressions = Best Service
It has been going on for years now since our village Aleisa Sasa’e applied and cried out for water.
You see, we heard our Faipule voice it out in Parliament a couple a years back. We hear our new neighbors coming in applying for it, we hear our fathers and mothers and elderly telling us they applied for water when we were in diapers.
Today, we have children of our own but up until now, nothing has been done.
They always tell us that the water does not have enough pressure to come up, that was some 15 -20 years ago. From then on until now, nothing has been done.
I want to use your newspaper to highlight these points:
- It is sad that it has been years and yet nothing has been done to get us some water. Are we part of Samoa?
- Looking at all those flash ads from the Samoa Water Authority on the TV, it is good to see you have moved up a notch with a professional image with “smart” uniforms, very good salaries - I heard not only in the technical but ALL across the board. That’s very good!
- But ask yourself the question, are you walking the talk? Are you providing professional services? Alas the title of my short essay here…BEST impressions should equal BEST service, not the other way around. Certainly not BEST
IMPRESSIONS equal BAD SERVICE
- It is sad to be a victim of such bad service. What kind of customer/public service is this? That it takes 20 – 30 years to apply for water?
- It’s sad to see the trend I see nowadays for things to get done this is to either you raise it in the Samoa Observer or go straight to see Tuilaepa. If this doesn’t work and Tuilaepa doesn’t work, then I guess we have to rely on our heavenly father.
- We thank God who provides rain for us in times of need. However, most of the times we seek water from those who have water below.
- How long does it take to acquire funding and install a pump? How long does it take to tender out someone to come and look for a waterhole up here? Twenty years? Thirty years?
- So the question is S.W.A: What are you going to do about it? Are you going to own up to your professional image and provide the best service and serve all your customers in need? Will you help the people of Aleisa Sasa’e who have been crying out for water for years?
We remain hopeful.
Fa’afetai
F.Inu.
Dried up Aleisa Sasa’e Resident
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