Road expansion works in Becora, Becusi Centre, Becusi Pura, and My Friend, in the capital Dili, have caused communities to lose access to clean water. In response, Bee Timor-Leste, E.P. (BTL-EP), the states water agency, has implemented emergency measures by installing water tanks in affected areas.
BTL-EP President, Gustavo da Cruz, said that the ongoing road expansion project has had a direct impact on water infrastructure, including damaging pipelines connected to households.
“During the road expansion process, some water pipes were damaged or cut, directly affecting water supply to the community.
We understand that many communities are seriously affected by this situation. We have shared information with local authorities to help calm the community, and in areas such as Becusi, Camea, and Cakeu Laran, we have installed water tanks,” said the BTL President at his office in Caicoli, Dili.
He added that the tanks will continue to be regularly refilled by BTL-EP to ensure communities maintain access to clean water for daily needs such as drinking, cooking, and other uses.
He also reaffirmed BTL-EP’s commitment to restoring the damaged pipeline system as quickly as possible, depending on technical capacity and coordination with other parties.
“Our main objective is to normalise the water system in the shortest time possible. Our technical teams are on the ground identifying damaged points and carrying out repairs,” he said.
Community of Becora resident, Adolfo Martins, said that during the road expansion project, the community faced significant difficulties due to the lack of water supply.
“Before this, we suffered a lot because there was no clean water. We had to fetch water from distant locations, which took time and money and affected our daily lives,” said Adolfo.
He expressed appreciation for BTL-EP’s efforts in responding quickly to the problem, noting that the installation of temporary water tanks has greatly helped the community maintain access to water during the difficult situation.
“Now we feel relieved because there are water tanks in our area. We thank BTL-EP for not leaving us in such difficult conditions,” he added.
The community also called on the government and relevant entities to improve coordination between institutions before starting major infrastructure projects, to prevent damage to essential services such as water, electricity, and sanitation.“This case shows the importance of integrated planning between the construction sector and public services to minimise negative impacts on the population. We also suggest having clear contingency plans before implementing major projects in urban areas,” he concluded.
