The Editor,
The Anguillian
Dear Mr. Editor:
SOLVE WATER PROBLEM BY MORE WELLS
I am wondering whether digging more wells would not assist the Anguilla Government and the Water Corporation to provide more water for the people of Anguilla.
There is a terrible drought on in Anguilla and cisterns are empty. Our only dependence now appears in great measure on our reliance on the truckers who are supplying water – not from other persons’ cisterns, but from wells. These are boreholes drilled by private people on privately-own land.
Despite the drought, the water table appears to be relatively high with a good supply of fresh water which only becomes salt when the borehole reaches a certain depth. (Here I stand corrected if my limited knowledge of the aquifer makes me sound foolish).
Many years when I was little, there was a well at Mount Fortune which served the people there well. I am not aware whether it is still in operation – in fact I don’t think it is. The only other well I know about is the one which the late Charlie Fleming ran and which is also located at Mount Fortune. If again I am not mistaken, this serves the East End area to some extent. There is obviously a need for more wells there to increase the supply of water to that area of the island. I understand that persons have dug their own wells just down from East End in such areas as Sandy Hill, Cannifist, Deep Waters and the Welches areas.
In the western areas of the island, where there are also water shortages, a number of wells have been dug by hotel property owners, some of whom can supply water to the nearby. If the cost is prohibitive as the Water Corporation is claiming, why not dig its own wells and provide water for the public there? But then I may need some enlightenment on such matters as desalination and purification.
My thinking is that if the Corporation can dig wells in The Valley where there are more than twelve boreholes –if I am right – other wells can be dug in other areas of the island to help solve some of the public water needs – for a variety of usages – if not for drinking.
I Thirst
