THE STRONG ODOUR emanating from the Bridgetown Sewage Treatment Plant at Lakes Folly continued to permeate The City yesterday for the fourth straight day.
Some businesses were still closed, while others reopened after closing early on Monday and Tuesday. They, however, had to find ways to cope with the smell.
Parents In Parenting Preschool on Cheapside, which closed prematurely on Monday, remained closed. A note on the door stated it would be shut the rest of the week.
However, a number of businesses which had closed during the week, including Oran, KM2 Solutions, ShopSmart and Pan American Life Insurance, were open yesterday.
This was the first time since closing early on Monday that the insurance company remained open. General manager Keith King said there was some improvement in the air quality.
“We’ve taken action of our own to make sure we try to purify the air [in the building] as much as we can. If you pass up the road, you will still smell it, but it’s not as bad as it was a few days ago,” he said.
T. O’neale, owner of Alpha and Omega Beauty Spa and Bridal Rental, next to the day nursery, said her business was negatively affected. She wants the air cleared as soon as possible.
“This is the first business that I’m doing for the week because the scent has been really bad. I think it’s more upsetting for us because you don’t want anybody to come into your salon and smell something that’s foul. So I had to reschedule a lot,” she said.
Similarly, owner of Nature Foods, Dora Song, said the situation has had a negative impact, as she had seen less business and customers continued to complain.
“It’s not good for customers to come to buy food and smell something like that. I’m not asking much; I just want them to rectify it,” Song said.
On Monday the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) reported that its investigations suggested a noxious substance was dumped at the plant on Saturday. It knocked out the bacteria population and this contributed to the strong scent. (TG)
