A WELL used by a family in Vunivacea is running dangerously low as the dry weather continues.
Resident Kalin Hussein said the water level in his well had dropped so rapidly that he could only pump water for about 10 to 12 minutes before stopping.
“Only 10 or 12 minutes we pump into the tank, and then we have to stop. Otherwise, the well will go dry,” he said.
The well provides water for drinking, washing and other household needs.
This is the same issue faced by 18 other families in the area.
Mr Hussein said the family also collected rainwater, but this was only useful when there was enough rain.
“During the dry season, the wells in the area do not have enough water to meet the families’ needs. When the water runs low, families have to ask relatives for help.”
He said residents had to carefully control how much water they used because there was no guarantee when the next rainfall would come.
“I have been living in this area for at least 50 years; this is not something new.”
However, he said the situation had become more serious during the current dry spell.
For residents, he said the falling water levels in the wells were a warning that the community needed a more reliable source of water.
Questions sent to acting commissioner Apolosi Lewaqai on September 2 remained unanswered when this edition went to press.
