They live in the heart of downtown Belize City, but 7 families have been living without water for two weeks. It is a familiar tale of abuse from an uncaring landlord, a utility which could care less, and those caught in the middle. Keith Swift tried to find out more.
[Turning on Faucet]
Cordelia Taylor,
“There is no water.”
Cordelia Taylor turns on her faucet but its empty. She has no water and she also has no meter since BWSL yanked it out two weeks ago. And if you are wondering why well there is also an explanation for that.
Cordelia Taylor,
“A young man from upstairs came and told us that they cut out the water. I asked him why and he said the landlord isn’t paying the bill so they cut out the water. I went out to BWSL and they said unless he pays the bill and the advance, you can’t get back any water.
KS: And how much money is owed?
Cordelia Taylor,
“Over $900.”
KS: Ok so that was 2 weeks ago and two weeks later?
Cordelia Taylor,
“Still no water.”
KS: So you guys have to come up with that money?
Cordelia Taylor,
“I don’t think so. That is unfair.”
“All I am asking him is to pay his bill so we can get our own meter. I can afford to put in my own water.”
KS: But they won’t give you your own meter unless he pays off his bill?
Cordelia Taylor,
“Yes he has to pay off the bill and that's over $900.”
So far he hasn’t done that and so two weeks later Cordelia and her family along with 6 other families - adding up to over 30 people – are living at 70 Regent Street without water.
Cordelia Taylor,
“We don’t have water for almost two weeks now and the landlord isn’t interested to pay the bill any at all. We tell him about the bill and he sends us to the landlady. We have four families in this house who have four young babies and none of us have water at all.”
“We have to set bucket to catch water. I have to leave early in the morning and we need water to bathe everyday. Then to have to pay for water from out there for them to bring water here that is unfair.”
Unfair because these 7 families are the one casualty in this standoff between a callous landlord a utility which it seems could hardly care.
7NEWS was unable to reach the landlord as his number was out of service. BWSL’s customer service manager Haydon Brown told 7NEWS this evening that they it is not their intention to deny the customers living at 70 Regent Street water however he stressed it is incumbent upon the landlord to pay his bill. Given the circumstance he says they will be willing to work with the tenants to explore ways of reaching an amicable and speedy resolution.