Odours emanating in the area of the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary are not from sewage in the swamp.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, since the commissioning of the temporary outfall at Worthing Beach, all effluent from sewage treated at the South Coast Sewage Treatment plant is discharged through the recently constructed temporary outfall offshore at Worthing, Christ Church. Therefore, no wastewater is being discharged from the South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant into the Graeme Hall Swamp.
A ministry official explained that the canal leading from Worthing Beach to the wetland ecosystem over time retains the build-up of organic matter generated by flora and fauna indigenous to the swamp. The natural decomposition of this organic matter periodically releases gases, some of which may be relatively offensive.
The Ministries of Energy and Water Resources, Health and Wellness, and Environment and National Beautification are working to develop a wetland management plan, to assist with reducing the impact of the scent of gases generated during the natural vegetative biodegradation process in the swamp. (BGIS)
