INCREASED LEVELS OF fats, oils and grease (FOG) and the unexpected failure of two emergency trash pumps at the South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant (SCSTP) have been blamed for the high levels of sewage in parts of the South Coast network, including Rendezvous and Worthing, Christ Church, over the weekend.
These trash pumps supplement the work of two screw lift pumps at the SCSTP and these screw lift pumps are not functioning at maximum capacity and are currently undergoing repair.
Head of the Barbados Water Authority’s (BWA) Waste Water Division (WWD), Patricia Inniss said the BWA is immediately addressing the problem and one of the pumps, which was already scheduled for maintenance/repair, is expected to be completed today. This should see the return of wastewater levels to normal within 24 hours. A second trash pump was recently approved to be purchased and is expected to be shipped shortly. In the interim, BWA crews have been deodorising the affected areas.
The WWD head explained that as upgrades to the island’s challenged sewerage system continues, these kinds of incidents should be reduced. She said that despite BWA’s efforts to educate on the dangers of FOG, the levels are still unacceptably high and the Authority may need to use stringent means to force compliance, which may regrettably include legal action.
The BWA apologises to all the affected residents and thanks them for their patience, understanding and cooperation. (PR)
