When Mwalimu went to God on October 14, 1999, so did the water supply too (not sure where exactly the water went, though). Since then we have permanent problems getting reliable supply of water. What we get reliably though is water bills every month, either you got a few drops of water during that month or not! I was paying flat rate charged the construction business rate as I was always building something around the Divine Mercy Hill.
A few years back, I decided to hand over our main pipeline to Water Authority of Mugango-Kiabakari-Butiama, so they could lay down more pipelines down below the Divine Mercy Hill, especially in Nyamisisye Village area, thus enhancing the quality of life of my people. They were very happy to get one kilometer pipeline for free. I requested only that they make sure we do not run out of water, as the new pipelines would be located below our level, so there was a danger we may not get the decent supply because of inadequate water pressure in the pipe leading up to our main tank. They promised to do so...
Then water meters came. They fixed water meters to main tank water pipeline, to the school under construction (John Paul II Center for Education and Formation), to our pastoral center (The House of Eight Beatitudes) and to the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Health Center.
They came with clever idea. Even if you have water meter, it does not mean that you will pay for whatever have passed through it - water or air! They told me, that on months my consumption of water is lower than the flat rate I was paying (which was very high in comparison to other consumers), I WILL pay the flat rate, not the actual reading! Just like the other month, when I consumed only 9 cubic meters for the whole month, and still they wanted to pay the flat rate which was three times the amount I was in fact due! No wonder, I protested vehemently and refused to do so, as no one does such a ridiculous thing. Power supply company, mobile networks, land line phones - you pay for what you actually consume. Not any flat rates! Geez!
So, the bumpy ride continues. In the last two months water supply has become so scarce, that actually we got some water only once, and as the last rains of rainy season have passed for good, we woke up today with a nasty reality check - no water in taps...ouch! We have some water left in a plastic 3 thousand liters tank (which I used for my cows, when I had them before I went to Musoma Cathedral), but with eight people in the house it will last maybe a few days, not longer.
And, ironically, I got water bills this morning, again with flat rates, and again claiming that I pay water bills for a meter that is locked tight since July last year (at the school construction site, where the works stopped since the lack of money to continue the construction). I guess someone is building another house and needs a helping hand in finishing the job...Along with a 'debt' for the flat rate I refused to pay (no water consumption, so I guess it is a free gift for them)...
I called the head office of Water Authority in Musoma. We'll see if they do anything to bring some normalcy into this water supply scheme. I guess, Water Authority in Mara Region is still deep down in old communist ways of thinking... Wake up, lads, it is the Third Millennium. You simply cannot demand to pay bills for something we do not get! That's for sure!
In the meantime I struggle for a couple of years now to secure funds enough to build a new main water retention tank at the side of Divine Mercy Shrine with the diameter of 8 meters and capacity of approx. 130 thousand liters which will collect water mainly from the church roof and also from that erratic pipeline. This would help us immensely with our needs for water in the parish, sisters' house, the health center and the school. But in this economy, to find some 20 thousand Euros to do this is a cry in a wilderness...
This is a four meter wood plank showing the radius of the future tank
which will be located near the shrine
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