OCHO RIOS, St Ann — There has been an increase of gastrointestinal cases in St Ann, according to the parish’s chief public health inspector Delroy Scott.

He blamed the hike in cases on the lack of adequate water supply in several communities, which forced residents to get water from what he called “questionable sources”.

“The larger number of gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly among the younger members of our population and those who are older and in a compromised state of health, are occurring in those communities where they don’t have access to adequate supply of good quality water,” said Scott.

“Geographically, more than half of the parish still does not have running water. Communities are still struggling to get water, so they are forced to get it from questionable sources,” he added.

He was speaking at last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the parish’s municipal corporation.

Councillor Ian Bell (People’s National Party, Beecher Town Division) told the meeting that his division is among those plagued by a water shortage.

“Right now, in my division, persons are compromised. They are forced to take up water from anywhere and drink it. That is what people have gone to now. Other day an 86-year-old lady called to say if it is even a bucket a water I must bring it to her because she is in need. Anything them get right now, them use it,” said Bell.

“When I call the man who usually truck water to us, him say the municipality owe him from last year and he is not bringing any more water. So anything the people them get right now, them use it,” he added.

The concerned health official suggested that the local authorities consider developing the wells in the parish. Scott mentioned the Green Pond Well and another in Queenhyte, Discovery Bay which he believes will aid in alleviating the lingering water woes in some areas.

“We are aware that there are two wells in the parish that are not being utilised to provide water… I recall being a part of a discussion during the pandemic to discuss the proposal for the further development of the Green Pond Well, and we were promised that within six months we will hear more about further works. We haven’t heard anything since that time. There is also a well in Queenhyte that is not being used, and all the communities surrounding it do not have any running water, and residents are being forced to make unfortunate choices in the use of the quality of the water that they are forced to use,” said Scott.