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Residents of Portee, Wellington, Calaba Town, Allen Town, Kuntorlor, Thunder Hill, and numerous other areas in the East End of Freetown are grappling with a severe water crisis, leaving them sleepless and frustrated.
The shortage, a recurring issue for over a decade, has reached alarming levels, exacerbated by overcrowding and rapid urbanization.
Families endure sleepless nights, strategically placing their containers in queues to secure access to water the following day. With dug-out wells drying up due to prolonged droughts and limited access to Guma Valley Water pipes, residents, including middle-class citizens, resort to traveling across communities with water-filled gallons in their cars.
While social entrepreneurs have attempted to address the crisis with business models offering water at meager prices per container, the situation persists. Giant water tanks stationed along streets for refills by the Guma Valley Water Company are often left frustrated by low supplies, sometimes enduring weeks without any replenishment.
The reliance on electricity to drill and refill water tanks further compounds the issue, as intermittent power supplies in the East End exacerbate the water crisis. Despite efforts to mitigate the problem, the fundamental challenges of water scarcity persist, impacting the daily lives and wellbeing of residents in these communities.
