Water crisis in Maryland
By: Jamesetta D Williams
WEAH VILLAGE, Maryland County – Residents of Weah Village, a rapidly growing settlement along the Harper Highway in District #1, Maryland County, are urgently appealing to the Government of Liberia, District #1 Representative P. Mike Jurry, and humanitarian organizations to provide safe drinking water after years of relying on an unprotected creek.
The community, now commonly referred to by many residents as Weah Town because of its growing population, is home to more than 400 people but has no hand pump, borehole, or other protected source of drinking water. As a result, families depend entirely on a nearby creek for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, and other household needs.
During a recent visit by team of reporters on Saturday, July 18, 2026, women and children were seen collecting water from the creek despite growing concerns over its safety and quality.
Residents say the situation becomes especially difficult during the dry season, when the water level drops, the creek becomes discolored, and fears of contamination increase.
Frank Smith, who has lived in the community since 2017, said repeated appeals for a hand pump have gone unanswered.
”We have been asking for a hand pump for years, but nothing has happened. This creek is the only water we drink,” Smith said.
Smith also expressed concern about the creek’s location along the busy Harper Highway, where several fatal road accidents have occurred over the years.
According to him, rainwater often washes blood and debris from accident scenes into the creek, leaving residents worried about the safety of the water they consume.
”We are dying. We want the government and anyone who can help to come to our aid,” he pleaded.
Another resident, Moses Tye, described access to clean water as one of the community’s biggest challenges and urged authorities to intervene before the situation worsens.
Women in the community say they bear the greatest burden of the water crisis.
Oretha Nathan said pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and elderly residents all depend on the creek daily despite its poor condition.
She said the water frequently becomes discolored during the dry season and claimed that many residents regularly experience stomach pain after drinking it.
”We are suffering. This is the only water we have. We need help before the situation gets worse,” Nathan said.
General Town Chief Gabriel B. Harmon said Weah Village has experienced significant population growth but still lacks a single protected water source.
According to him, community leaders have repeatedly appealed for assistance over the years, particularly during election periods when promises were made, but those commitments have yet to materialize.
”We are tired of begging for help. We need the government, our representative, NGOs, and anyone who can assist to please come and help this community,” Harmon said.
However, speaking by telephone on Monday evening, the lawmaker said the water crisis in Weah Village had not previously been brought to his attention.
Rep. Jurry said he will travel to Maryland County next week and has instructed that engineers from his office visit the community to conduct an assessment before any intervention is undertaken.
”We will send engineers to Weah Village to determine whether there is an existing hand pump that has been damaged or whether there is a need for new construction,” Rep. Jurry said.
He thanked reporters for drawing attention to the residents’ concerns and pledged that his office would respond to the community’s water needs within two weeks.
Residents welcomed the representative’s commitment but said they hope the promised assessment will lead to concrete action after years of depending on an unsafe creek for survival.
The situation in Weah Village reflects the broader challenges facing many rural communities across Liberia, where limited access to clean and safe drinking water continues to expose residents to the risk of waterborne diseases despite ongoing national efforts to improve water and sanitation services.