No ‘Wata’ in Hattieville for over 24 Hrs; B.W.S. Apologizes

Alvan Haynes

If you live in Hattieville it is likely that you or a neighbour experienced water shortage for more than a day.  It is also likely that those affected didn’t have electricity for several hours, too.  On Monday, B.W.S. told the media the problem affected over three thousand residents and it was all caused by a thunderstorm that brought lightning bolts.  C.E.O. Alvan Haynes explained what happened and how they fixed it.

Alvan Haynes, C.E.O., B.W.S.

“With this situation in Hattieville, there was a thunderstorm and it caused damage to B.E.L’s system. What we did not realize immediately was that it also blew the B.E.L transformer that directly supplies the pump station which is at Rockville, Gracie Rock and damaged our electrical panels and our generator. So, when power was restored to Hattieville around four o’clock on Saturday afternoon, our system did not come back on. B.E.L worked until about ten that night trying to restore power, under adverse conditions. B.W.S workers were there but we couldn’t address the issue B.E.L managed to get power back around two. The next morning, Sunday morning, the guys went back and we mobilized a mobile generator and B.E.L put their team to work as well. Fortunately, B.E.L managed to get power back around two in the afternoon; but our electrical controls were so damaged and we had to find replacement units. So, we had to go to Belmopan to get the control panels from there. The long and short of it is that it wasn’t until later in the afternoon around four o’clock that we managed to get some pumping going. We also realized that we had two wells there, one of the pumps in one of those wells was also damaged, so basically we were going with only one trying to restore water and that took an extensive period because the system was essentially fully drained, the mains were emptied of water. So, in Hattieville, some customers, we apologize were out for like thirty-two hours without water.”