BUSINESS enterprises in Mandeville are said to be making huge sums of money by selling drinking water to residents in this drought-stricken central Jamaica parish.

Companies are reportedly selling 2,500-gallon loads of water for an average $8,000 to $10,000, with 3,000 gallons going for between $10,000 and $12,000. Some companies reportedly have long waiting lists, backing up over two days, and requests have been coming in from across the parish, following months of drought, which has caused a severe water shortage.

Water woes are not new to the parish, with Mandeville alone getting about two million gallons of water per day, leaving residents with a shortfall of about 3,000 gallons. Water officials and politicians alike, have long blamed the parish capital's water problems on its high altitude.

The drought conditions affecting the island have worsened Mandeville's already bad water situation, with doctors offices and water intensive businesses such as spas having to close their doors or scale down operations. This has forced a number of residents and landlords to turn to the water selling trucks for regular supplies.

But residents say that the buying of water is burning their pockets and making big money for the water supply companies.

Paeditrician Dr Mauleen Tate Thompson, whose office had to be closed temporarily for lack of water, said that she had to quickly implement a back-up plan, when she realised how bad the water situation was.

"I had to refuse patients because the water situation was so bad. I had to buy a drum, as a back-up, to hold a reasonable amount of water," she said.

Tate Thompson's backup plan is similar to that of other medical practices that the Observer contacted. Staff at the Grove Court Medical Services and the Midwest Dental Centre said that they had been out of water for a number of days.

Tate-Thompson said that although she has not had to buy any water for her practice, she purchases thousands of gallons of the precious commodity for her home each month. She told the Observer that she buys 2,500 gallons at least once a month, for between $8,000 and $9,000.

"Since February and now, I've had to buy three loads because where I live is on a hill and there's just no water in the pipe. We used to get from NWC, but after waiting five weeks for NWC water on one occasion, I got frustrated, so I had to turn to the water trucks.

"I've spend about $26,000 on water since February. The first purchase I made cost me $10,000. This is more than a year's worth of water bills. We're tired of talking to NWC. My landlord has been visiting there over and over," she said.

Another resident, who lives in the upscale DeCarteret Road area, said that she has had no water in her pipes for "a couple of months now". "I have to buy every week or two weeks depending on how I use it. Most persons in Mandeville have to be purchasing because there's just no water", she said.

One resident, who lives in the Silent Hill community on the outskirts of Mandeville, describd her water situation as "very bad".

"We don't get water at all. We've had to resort to a standpipe in the community," she said.

Checks with the Manchester Parish Council showed that the council sells water to residents. Secretary manager at the council Alfred Graham said that the council sells water to residents, "only on weekends". He said that the Council sells a 2,500 gallon load for $6,000, as long as the community lies within a 25-kilometre radius of Mandeville, and $8,000 to residents further away. "Those who want this service must come in to the parish council and pay, get their receipts and get their water," he said.

The secretary manager was quick to point out that water trucked to residents between Monday and Friday was free of cost. "There is no charge for any water that is trucked from the parish council on the weekdays. We use at least two private trucks and two Rapid Response trucks. Residents are not required to pay for water that we take into the communities on these days," he said, adding that the council would need at least four additional trucks of its own to meet the water needs of the parish.

Regarding the legality of the practice of private companies selling water, the secretary manager said that there was no requirement for the council to give approval for water sales of this kind. However, he said that the council was concerned about the safety of the water being sold to residents.

"We discussed this at a recent meeting and expressed our concern, as to whether these operators were getting water from a clear, safe source. As a council, we're moving to get a listing of the trucks approved to take water from the NWC filling stations," he said.

Some private water truckers are reportedly claiming that they also get their supplies from the NWC as well. At least one truck company with which the Observer spoke, claims to get its water from the NWC outlet in Porus. A Mrs Freeman, who operates a water selling company, defended the safety of the water that she sells to residents.

"No no, it's safe. We get it strictly from NWC outlet in Porus, no where else", she said. The operator confirmed that she supplies 2,500 to 3,000 gallon tanks with water. "The 2,500 gallon load is for $8,000 and the 3,000 gallon for $9,000."