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LACK OF potable drinking water at Tei-Mensah NO 2, a predominantly farming community in the Suhum Municipality of the Eastern region has compelled residents to depend on a heavily polluted gutter for survival. The resultant effect is that strange diseases have taken the better part of the residents with many children battling such deadly diseases as cholera and diarrhoea. A visit by the Daily Heritage to the village revealed that a number of children and adults are suffering from different skin and other communicable diseases. The residents say many people are battling different kinds of diseases which have claimed some lives due to the polluted nature of their only source of water. Diseases such as skin rashes, cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea have been identified as the most reported cases claiming lives in the community. Tei -Mensah NO.2 is a cocoa growing community and has a population of over 300 residents, but lack of potable drinking water and other basic amenities has made life unbearable for them. Nana Asare Kwaku II, chief of the community told the Daily Heritage in an interview that the plight of the community worsens during the dry season when the main polluted source of water becomes dry. Residents often walk miles into the bush in search of water. He is, therefore, appealing to the government to come to the aid of the community to dig a borehole to provide potable water to the people. According to Nana Kwaku II, failure by government to provide the community with potable water may lead to disaster in the area. He said even though several appeals have been made to the municipal assembly, no help has come to the community. Nuetey Emmanuel, a resident of the community on his part also added his voice to the call by the chief for an immediate intervention before something tragic hits the community.