An employee of the Water and Sewerage Department (W&SD) cleans the area of effluent following a sewage spill at the Road Town Pump Station on October 2, 2019. Photo: Team of Reporters

Servicemen of the Water and Sewerage Department repair the pipework at the Road Town Pump Station. Photo: Team of Reporters

According to Director of the Water and Sewerage Department (W&SD), Mrs Perline R. Scatliffe-Leonard, a flange on a temporary pipework gave way, causing a sewage spill at the Road Town Pump Station today, October 2, 2019. Photo: GIS/File

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Pedestrians and motorists alike had to briefly cope with a sewage spill at the Road Town Pump Station today, October 2, 2019.

Sometime around 11:15am, sewage was seen overflowing into the streets, in the vicinity of the pump station in Road Town, as a result of a “temporary” pipework becoming loose.

According to Director of the Water and Sewerage Department (W&SD), Mrs Perline R. Scatliffe-Leonard, a flange gave way “and that would have been because of the pressure going in to that pipework. It was a pipework that was run there temporarily. It shouldn’t be so but after the 2017 storms this is the setup we came up with to ensure that the station remained functional until the more permanent fixtures are installed.”

Thankfully, repairs were completed in short order as W&SD servicemen responded very quickly to the situation.

“They actually left one of their jobs to attend to this particular job because this was more urgent. And as you can see they washed down the area and they also threw enzymes in the area to eliminate any concerns of bacteria and so forth,” Ms Scatliffe-Leonard stated.

The W&SD Director apologised to the general public, especially pedestrians, for the “disturbance” and for taking caution in the affected area.

“So we are basically up and running again and hopefully repairs would be completed in short order to the station,” Ms Scatliffe-Leonard added.