UPDATE – Sewerage pipe collapse: temporary pumping main yet to be installed
Acting Deputy Director of the Water and Sewerage Department (WSD) Bernard Grant had told Virgin Islands News Online that work to rectify the problem would have commenced last evening with the installation of the pumping main. However, this morning May 17, 2012, this news site was informed by Mr. Grant that they were unable to install the pumping main as planned.
Mr. Grant explained that while installing the pipes last evening, they discovered an old road under the existing road that prevented them from installing the pumping main. Works are expected to continue today to install the temporary pumping main.
The temporary pumping main will be installed in the man hole in the vicinity of the Roundabout, which will allow the sewerage to bypass the partially collapsed pipe and go into the Road Town pumping station.
"This would mean we no longer need to rely on that pipe," he had explained yesterday May 16.
He assured this news site that the traffic would have been back to normal today May 17, 2012, and added that they will be working from the side of the road.
Asked whether businesses in the area will be affected with the down time of the temporary pump, Mr. Grant explained that the partially collapsed line was from the northern line while most of the businesses are connected to the southern line which is in working condition.
Several weeks ago, using cameras, the department noticed that their eleven feet sewage line on the northern line was old and vulnerable and was then placed on their top priority list for things needed to be taken care of by the department.
Grant disclosed that the department will seek to buy a designed pump that is expected to be ready in another couple of weeks. According to Mr. Grant, the new pump is expected to be much bigger in size and will adequately handle the sewerage flow.
In the meantime, the temporary work will cost the Department between $5,000 and $10,000.
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