Antigua and Barbuda
Country Pond Issue Flushes Out Wider Concerns
- Details
- What Ails You
- Saturday, 08 January 2011 06:55
- By D Francis
Chief Health Inspector Lionel Michael has responded to concerns about other ways in which the contaminated water in Country Pond is being used, and the overall issue of sewage treatment in the city.
He said the need for a central sewage system in St John’s has been outstanding for some time, but steps are being taken to address the problem.
While there are on-site disposal treatment systems, in the form of septic tanks, these can be ineffective because St John’s is a small city with a high water table, along with clay soil and other factors, he explained.
Michael said while the logistics are still being worked out, his department has asked most businesses downtown to build small sewage plants, which should be treated, and the contents discharged very early in the morning. However, evidence has proven otherwise.
“What we have found is that a lot of businesses have not been properly treating their effluent, thus resulting in the odour we detect every day,” he said, adding that this will be looked into.
As for the traditional night soil system, Michael noted improvements. "The way it is now, the cart is designed in a way to avoid spillage; it is totally enclosed, so that is no longer an issue," he said.
“Actually," he continued, "we have gone to various premises to look at their systems to see how other systems can be accommodated. We went to areas like Booze Alley (Booby Alley). Upgraded systems have been put in place in the Point and Villa areas. We have introduced more upgraded systems for use, such as Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) Latrine which can be pumped out."
As far as the Country Pond water being used to wash the city streets, Michael said he has instructed his workers to stop immediately. He said he was not aware of the water being used by farmers also, but if so, they should stop right away.
Meanwhile, a 6,000 gallon tank has been placed at the pond to accommodate the car washers, and according to Michael it will be there for about eight days while the men work out long-term arrangements with APUA.
See related stories:
APUA Offers Solutions for car Washers
Country Pond Washers Suggest Solutions
Follow us on Facebook
Popular Questions
Ask Your Question
Spotlight on Mobile
Latest What Ails You News
Most Read This Month In Health
Search Directory
Directory Listings
App
Download Caribarena's Android App
Click To Download
6 Comments In This Article
Focus
Native Son
Urgent action needed
Dig It
Morris
W.T.F.
@ Morris
my way of helping
Morris,
..
tenman
After all these years of discussing a central sewage system, could Mr. Michael, or any minister/offici al for that matter, please tell us where they are in the process? It is beyond me that the major international organizations have all these loans and grants for infrastructural development/imp rovement in the developing countries and we have not benefited from any of them. These loans could have taken care of these types of projects, but then again, perhaps they are not the government's main concern.
Conce rning Country Pond, I sugget that Mr. Michael contact his counterparts around the C'bean and try and source a Reverse Osmosis Processing Unit (ROPU) to drain the pond and recycle the water for use. Then once the pond is drained, they should clean and sanitize it, then close it from public use. There is more than ample time during this process for them to all agree on an alternate location for these guys to ply their trade.
Morris
RSS