Weather forecasters predict sudden unseasonal downpours tomorrow but residents in a small neighbourhood of Abu Saiba got an early taste of a surprise shower yesterday when a water pipe burst.
Water flooded a street close to homes and cars and an emergency response team under the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) rushed to the scene to plug the damage after receiving calls to an emergency hotline.
The authorities were first alerted about issues in the area last month when sudden subsidence was reported by residents. “Inspectors came and dug a hole in the street and, once they determined there wasn’t a leak, workmen came and resurfaced the gap in the street,” said Lutfalla Abdulla who lives in Abu Saiba.
“We didn’t have any further problems with that particular spot until a pipe suddenly burst and flooded the entire street.”
According to Mr Abdullah, no properties or cars were damaged and the water was cleared promptly using tankers deployed for the purpose.
Workers were also seen tackling the burst pipe once the water was cleared and siphoned away.
Area councillor and Northern Municipal Council chairman Ahmed Al Kooheji praised the immediate response of the EWA emergency team which operates around-the-clock.
Mr Al Kooheji urged people to make use of government provided services instead of ‘causing alarm on social media’.
That didn’t stop the waves of outrage sparking online debate over the issue with numerous posts suggesting many pipes routed through villages were ‘outdated and in need of repairs or replacement’.
“Water pipes, especially those in old villages, need to be changed completely as most of them are old,” added one Bahraini on condition of anonymity.
“We can’t just accept temporary solutions that patch up the cracks and wait for the next explosion of water which is too valuable a resource to waste in this manner. There needs to be more sustainable long-term permanent solutions found.
“This same spot was inspected a month ago and residents can’t help but believe this flood could have been avoided.”
The EWA had not responded to a GDN request to comment by the time the newspaper went to press.
In the case of electricity and water emergencies, the authorities can be contacted by calling 17515555 or 80001110.
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