Community Focus: Beeston Spring thirsty for piped water

Residents of Beeston Spring, a community that sits in the hills of Westmoreland, are upset over the continued lack of running water in the community.

Beeston Spring, touted as one of the earliest districts in the parish, has never had piped water, according to the people. They believe it is high time that the relevant authorities, including their elected representatives, embark on a project to supply the precious commodity to the taps of homes and businesses in the community.

"We born come see the spring, and a it a help nuff people over the years," Weston Spence told WESTERN STAR.

"They can try to uplift the community by giving us a pump down by the spring. We already have pipeline a run through the place, so all them would need to do is connect up the spring. Just set up something so we can have water because a modern time now," he added.

An abandoned tank, which sits close to the community square, has been touted as another possible option that can be explored for the provision of potable water. The residents argue that with a little investment, the structure can be put back into service.

"We could clean up the tank and give the community some running water because in my case, I can't fully depend on the rain and have to go a the spring to full up my six jugs every two day," said Adrian Tomlinson.

"The spring a main source of water. If you go down there now you see how much people a try a full up them things. Nuff a them have to a pay taxi man money to carry them water, and some of them down there a wait from morning to get a full. Dem day mash up and taxi hardly take them up," he added.

Beeston Spring has won several Best Community in Jamaica awards and is also home to a budding country-style tourism village tour. As such, people believe that the Government should be doing more to uplift the standard of living in the community.

Beeston Spring sits in the constituency of Eastern West-moreland, which is represented by Luther Buchanan in Parliament.

"The councillor and the MP nah do good by us, and the people dem just shut dem mouth. This community, out of the 14 parishes of Jamaica, got best community, best cleaning, less gunshot, less badman. Everybody live a way in the district, so I feel we should a get better attention. I am not saying that the Government should do everything for us, but certain amount of respect should be due," Spence said.