Construction waste may be dumped on the land at the entrance to the Barbados Water Authority’s (BWA) main pumping station in The Belle, St Michael. But the dumping of organic material is not allowed.
That is according to the BWA’s engineering manager Dr John Mwansa days after workers at the pumping station complained of indiscriminate dumping by Government entities, businesses and individuals.
Workers complained that disused appliances, animal parts, tree trimmings, old pieces of metal and concrete rubble could be found on portions of the land leading to the entrance of the pumping station.
However, speaking to the WEEKEND NATION yesterday during a visit to the area, along with Kammie Holder, public relations director of the Future Centre Trust, Mwansa said that only construction waste was allowed to be dumped there.
“We have met with Government agencies whose trucks have been bringing materials here and we have agreed on what they can and can’t bring here,” he said. “We have met with [the] NCC [National Conservation Commission], SSA [Sanitation Service Authority], MTW [Ministry of Transport and Works] and the Drainage Unit and discussed the issues,” he said.
Mwansa said the BWA was working on building a berm along the driveway, using the same inert material, providing a blockage to those who might try to beat the system and refuse to use a gate to the dump which will soon be installed to control activities there.
“If they come through the gate, we can manage what they are dumping, but if they go in the back, we can’t do much about it,” he said.
Mwansa also stated that the BWA was in discussions with the SSA to see what assistance could be provided in removing the organic materials from the dump.
He said that as the BWA attempted to manage what was being released in the area, the biggest challenge was controlling what was being dumped on the extended piece of the dumping ground which was not close to the station.
But while the BWA has conducted a site visit with representatives from the listed Government agencies, the engineering manager indicated that it now has to pass on the message to commercial companies and private residents who use the dumping area.
Environmental Protection Department officer Nicholas Jordan was also on site yesterday carrying out investigations.
There was also evidence of mining for metal. (AH)
