Residents head back to the district from a spring where they say the water is not clean but they are forced to use it. - Ian Allen photos

Residents discuss matters affecting the community.

Residents of Top Hill district, Lemon Hall in St Catherine, openly declared that crime and violence was not a factor in their community. In fact, it has never been an issue, but they are greatly affected by the lack of water.

The community is considered fruitful, with a rich soil which springs aplenty crops like gungo, breadfruit, apple, mango, peas and oranges, among others.

Residents say, however, that the prosperity of these fruits depend on nature because their water woes stretch beyond being able to water crops themselves.

Long-time resident Glen 'Pappy' Cooke said: "Right now, nobody can't tun on dem pipe and say dem bathe years now. we have two tanks up here but people suffer to get water. The tank water finish quick... we affi use the spring and the water no clean. If a truck come now by the time it gone the water finish. If you smell the water we affi use as substitute you have fi go doctor."

Another resident, 20-year-old Monique Edwards, said: "There is nothing for the young people to do. I just take care of my sick mother and do some days work when I get dem. The community no prosperous and everybody want something to do ... mi willing to do any little thing as long as mi get mi money."

THE STAR was told that the main attraction in the community was an annual donkey race put on by a resident.

Some say that the issue of water and roads in Top Hill has been a 90-year- old problem.

An elderly resident, 80-year-old Augusta Williams, said he can't remember things being any better. "I have to set up buckets around mi house and hope say rain fall ... when it do fall and settle in the buckets the water green and a it mi affi use," he revealed.

A farmer tends to one of his animals.

A resident shows the dark-coloured water the residents are forced to use.

A farmer tends to one of his animals.