Sewage relief soon

The leaking sewage currently being seen on the South Coast is as a result of the breakdown of the ten-inch pump which was being employed in the area where the obstruction has been occurring, but Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Dr. David Estwick says relief is coming soon.

He told the media yesterday morning during a press conference at the Ministry, that the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) is at present using a six-inch pump in the affected area, but noted that it is not large enough to handle the capacity. With that in mind, he gave the assurance that steps are being taken to fix the ten-inch pump and to acquire another ten-inch pump, which he disclosed should be on island around the week of February 20.

Additionally, he stated that the part to fix the existing pump is coming from Trinidad and once it is acquired, that pump will be rehabilitated and put back in operation.

“For the period of time when there was no sewage at all on the streets, it is simply because the 10-inch pump was working well, and the 10-inch pump was destroyed largely because Barbadians need to understand you do not put towel that you bathe with down in the sewage, you don’t put a face towel or hand towel in the sewage,” he contended.

Minister Estwick added, “Furthermore, I have seen with my own two big eyes, packaging materials for bacon and ham in the sewage. How it get in there? We better understand what is going on in Barbados.”

The Minister’s comments came as he suggested that the presence of these materials in the sewage system may be the result of illegal connections and if so, he is adamant that the BWA will not sit idly by and allow that to continue.

“There is no way that a whole face towel, hand towel, diapers and so on could be flushed down a toilet, they are being put down in the sewage system in some form or fashion and I ain’t standing for that rubbish,” he maintained.

He added, “That is how the 10-inch pump got destroyed, so I am pleading with Barbadians especially those persons using the system, bring some due care and due diligence to the use of the system and it would make obviously managing our equipment much easier for us over the long term.”

Estwick also instructed General Manager of the BWA, Keithroy Halliday, who was also at the press conference, to “do what you have to do” to deal with the culprits. Estwick has told Halliday and the Manager of the Wastewater Division, Patricia Inniss to prosecute anyone who has illegal connections and is “doing foolishness”. (JRT)