00:00It's been one week and counting, and some WASA customers are still complaining of brown water in their taps.
00:07This even after WASA reported that system flushing had been undertaken after recent plant maintenance,
00:14coupled with adverse weather, had affected several treatment and desalination facilities.
00:20Both the Minister of Public Utilities, Barry Podarath, and WASA have given the assurance that the water is safe for
00:27domestic use.
00:28However, Development Economist Dr. Jamelia Harris says the country needs proof.
00:34I think domestic use is very much a cultural category, right?
00:38Like, can I bathe with this water? Is it safe to be on my skin?
00:43Does it matter if the person is vulnerable in some way, if they're elderly, or if they're a child, or
00:50if they're an infant?
00:52Can we bathe a child under a year in this water?
00:57What, you know, it doesn't, domestic use, what does domestic use really mean?
01:02Can we wash our clothes in this water and then wear the clothes?
01:04Can we wash our dishes and then eat off the dishes?
01:07It's a very grey area.
01:08She believes the situation warrants an investigation.
01:12Some independent body should test the water that's coming out of the taps to households and say, without any sort
01:21of fear of contradiction,
01:23that this water is safe to be used by humans, by humans, people in Trinidad and Tobago.
01:28There should be an investigation that is launched to see why this routine operation has not gone as it has
01:36done in previous occasions.
01:37We did this last year. We didn't get dirty water last year.
01:40So something different has happened this year.
01:42So I do think it gives space to there being an investigation.
01:45Dr. Harris is also taking issue with the treatment of the matter.
01:49We haven't had a press conference. We haven't had anyone actually come to the population and say, this is what
01:56has happened.
01:57We are sorry. This is the plan of action.
02:01This is when you can't expect clean waters in your pipe.
02:06If you want to access clean water, we have a truck-borne service available. There's no alternative.
02:13The development economist believes Trinidad and Tobago's standard needs to be higher.
02:19Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
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