Savai’i resident wants better access to water

By Aruna Lolani 16 September 2017, 12:00AM

Water is a basic necessity that the government needs to make as their first priority. 

Tupa’i Matuna Sevelino of Paia Savai’i is not happy about having limited access to water in his village.

A resident of Savaii, Tupa’i is in Upolu to visit his sick brother in Nu’u.

“Not having enough water is the main problem in Savaii, in our sub village anyways,” he said.

“Our water supply is under the independent scheme of the village so its use is always limited.

“I think what I’m trying to say here is that I need help with water; and I want to have access to the governments’ water because we need water for so many things.

“I mean take our toilets for instance, our village holds bathroom inspections sometimes and to me; if the water doesn’t reach this area or if we don’t have enough water to use then what is the use of setting up bathrooms? It will only lead to unhealthy situations that will affect us.

“The only way to have water is if you fill up your own gallon every single day to keep it clean but we can’t even do that with the limited use of the village water,” he said. 

Tupa’i told Village Voice a solution would be available if everyone wanted the same thing.

“I can understand the people of my village being the way they are. 

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but we can’t really make a plan with that; we all want different things because some of us want to use the governments water scheme while others rely on the village water. 

The government is the only option there is to make something happen.

“And you know nobody really wants to move away because this is our home,” he said. 

Tupa’i said back then they had access to stable water supply. 

“But now, the only alternative is a water tank. We don’t have a water tank to store water but then even with that, it needs the rain or other sources of water to fill it up. 

“And the weather is not really something we have any control over so it won’t always rain.

“I think we all need access to the government water scheme because the survival of people is the responsibility of the government,” said Tupa’i.

By Aruna Lolani 16 September 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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