UAQ families without running water for a month

Families living in Salama, one of Umm Al Quwain’s oldest areas, say they have been without running water in their homes for almost a month.

UMM AL QUWAIN // Families living in one of Umm Al Quwain’s oldest areas say they have been without running water in their homes for almost a month.

Residents in Salama have been relying on regular deliveries from tankers for water to wash, cook and clean with. However, they say they can’t afford the extra cost on top of their monthly utility bills.

Nasser Rashid, an Emirati, buys 1,000 gallons of water for Dh120 from the distributing trucks.

“I can not pay more money for water as even the utility bill will come at the month end,” he said. “The problem is some trucks don’t want to supply us water at Dh120, saying they are busy with other clients willing to pay more.”

Mr Rashid said he needs to buy water from the delivery tankers at least three times a week.

Saqqar Humaid, another Salama resident, said he contacted the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) about the issue and was given assurances it would be fixed quickly. However, the problems have persisted.

Mohammed Khalil, the director of Corporate Communications at FEWA, said they were working on solving the problem and have commissioned tankers to continue to distribute water to families in the area.

He added FEWA will resume pumping water to homes in the area this week.

Salama is one of the oldest areas in the emirate and has experienced problems with water supply in the past. Residents have placed their hopes in a 61km water pipe expected to supply about 20 million gallons of water each day to the area. The Dh164 million project is currently underway.

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