NewsWest 9
ODESSA - An Odessa mother and her two children have been without running water for five months. Basic things like taking a shower and washing dishes have become a daily struggle. The mom paid the City of Odessa $375 to connect a pipe to her sewer to have running water, they told her at the most, it would take three months. Two months later, they still have no water.
"$375, they told me in three months we will have it ready for you. I didn't bother them in three months, I waited the three months," Guillermina Castro said.
Unfortunately, three months have turned into five months. Castro says in October she paid the fee to have a water line installed and tapped to her sewer but still no water. She says even basic things like cooking have become a difficult task.
"I have to buy gallons of water, several gallons of water to be able to wash my dishes, make meals and wash my face. At night, I either go to a neighbors, friends or a family members house to take a shower there since there is no water here," Castro said.
Andrea Goodson, Public Information Coordinator for the City of Odessa, says there is a reason as to why Castro hasn't been able to have access to running water in her home.
"If she turns her faucet on right now and doesn't have water, it's because, she as the property owner, has not made sure that the water line is installed and tapped into the meter on her side," Goodson said.
However, that may not be the only reason the Castro Family is still without water.
"With that, growing economy means growth of infrastructures but because unemployment is low, its difficult for us to attract new employees to help grow those new infrastructures and maintain that new infrastructure," Goodson said.
Goodson says Castro as the homeowner has options. In fact, she does not even have to rely on the City of Odessa to have water in her home.
