A smelly Christmas and a stinky New Year.
That was how outspoken community spokesman Adrian Donovan described the festive period for residents in Worthing, Christ Church, whom he said were expecting more of the same from the problem-plagued South Coast sewerage system come January.
With the manholes continuing to overflow with effluent from the South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant, Donovan yesterday said while the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) had been flushing and cleaning the area, residents were still frustrated by the ongoing problem.
Yesterday, the overflow from the manhole covers continued in front of Lanterns in Hastings, Chicken Barn in Worthing and the Worthing Post Office.
The BWA has been working to come to grips with the problem, going as far as to seek external help from Trinidadian experts.
Donovan said he understood businesses in the Worthing area were having problems flushing toilets and with blocked drains due to lack of cleaning and maintenance.
“We have a very serious drainage problem. There are wells on that same stretch which have not been cleaned. The water can’t flow and so the whole area is just suffering because of a lack of maintenance,” he added.
Earlier this month, Minister of Health John Boyce said the ministry and relevant authorities were addressing the matter.
“As the Minister of Health, I just want to assure the public, and especially constituents and the business people, of our continued surveillance of the area and our continued management of the health-related issues by way of the deployment of additional environmental health officers,” he said.
“I want to assure the public that the Barbados Water Authority and the Government of Barbados are on top of this,” he added.
The MIDWEEK NATION understands the BWA will publicly address the matter later this week. (AD)
