WSC’s lack of feedback

In the letter WSC Guarantees Potable Water (July 11) Stephen Zerafa asserts that the Water Services Corporation is obliged to provide a water supply which is “of a good quality and up to drinking water standards”. While it is agreeable that at the WSC facilities, water may reach this expected quality, the standard of water quality degrades markedly upon reaching certain localities.

Sub-standard water often runs in a certain part of Sliema. Tinged water runs from the main water supply. The tinge darkens from time to time, causing the water to become opaque. This usually occurs when infrastructure works have recently taken place in the vicinity. When this contaminated water is left to stand, rust-coloured sediments gather at the bottom of the container. Although these are removed by filtering the water, one can only wonder about the soluble impurities in the supply, which could possibly pass through a filter. Also, if water is meant to be “potable”, why should we be forced to resort to filtering?

As well as possibly posing a threat to human health, this water is not even suitable to wash clothes or a car, since these sediments are accumulating in the water tank.

I truly feel like a “valued customer(s)” when the WSC does not even follow up my queries and complaints. Although, last year, a WSC employee did come to my house to take samples of the tap water, as well as a sample of water I had collected when the sediments were particularly evident, I have heard not a word from the service with regards the results of these tests. However, the situation continues to degrade. When I contacted them with regard to the results, I was given a mobile number to call in order to arrange a date for new samples to be taken.

Unfortunately, no one ever answered my calls and I received no return call. These endless circles leave customers disillusioned and frustrated. One cannot help but wonder whether the WSC has something to hide since it is certainly not exercising a professional level of transparency in its customer service policy.

My deep concern is not so much with regard to the state in which water leaves the facilities, but rather the quality of water arriving in certain homes. After all, the authorities take care of a whole nation-wide system, not just the facilities which supply water.