Water, most of us take it for granted, but for many of the residents in the Belize River Valley running water can seem like the greatest luxury imaginable – and that's because they are still collecting water from the river the way their ancestors did. But, soon that strenuous, outdated practice will be a memory because ground was broken today for the Belize Rural Valley Project. It will bring water to villages in the valley. Minister of Rural Development Godwin Hulse told us more.
Hon. Godwin Hulse - Minister of Rural Development
"Actuially today is a happy day for all the nine villages of the river valley because we broke ground for the commencement of the construction of a water delivery system for all the nine villages spanding form Rancho all the way to Flowers Bank and the ones in between including Isabella and Lemonal, Willows Bank, St. Paul's, Double Head Cabbage here, Bermudian Landing. It's a point seven million dollar Belize project which is being funded through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank with Government counterpart funds of about eight hundred thousand dollars; it intends to run roughly forty five miles of pipes and will connect all the households in the area and of course there will be pump stations in between as well so the project should take, I guess about eighteen months as I understand it to complete but it is a long standing wish of the people of this area."
Villager
"I am very happy; I would be happy but I haven't seen it yet but on my behalf I am happy to see that it started"
Villager
"Like I said, we will be having running water;I won't have to be carting them anymore. We are quite a bit way from the river and usually if we do not get water from the high school, or the river - my husband, when he has the vehicle, we use to go with buckets, fill the back and come up with a good load but still it's a challenge to walk up the river."
Villager
"We really need this water system; It will make a big improvement to our lives because during the dry season a lot of our wells go dry and we don't really have anyway to get water; we have to buy or wait until Mr. Castro sends the water truck for us to get some water so this will be a big improvement to our lives in the river valley area."
Villager
"For me the water system will develop my life in differnt ways especially in times of dry season. This is the time when we have problems getting water so to have running water coming through the pipeline definitely will make life a lot easier. I have lived here for the past twenty five years and it is a problem to carry water. Right now I live close to the river side but it is still a problem for me to go get water so definitely it will be something good and I guarantee all the villagers will benefit from it and can't wait because it is like a long awaiting dream."
Email
Print