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Purcell Ghut design had potential for more flooding – PWD head

- says PWD has a workable design
Phase three of the ‘notorious’ Purcell Ghut has been stopped. Photo: Aneka Edwards/VINO
The road that was dug up to install the pipes will be resurfaced until Government resumes the project.
The road that was dug up to install the pipes will be resurfaced until Government resumes the project.
Less than $150,000 was spent on phase three. Photo: VINO
Less than $150,000 was spent on phase three. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - The potential for more flooding would have been the worst case scenario if construction of the Johnson/Purcell Ghut had continued with the current design, revealed Acting Director of Public Works Department (PWD) Dr. Drexel Glasgow.

Earlier today, Friday November 18, 2011, Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark Vanterpool announced that Phase three of the project had stopped and that the PWD is now in control of the project.

Dr. Glasgow told Virgin Islands News Online that his department found some inconsistencies in the designs, but refused to elaborate what the inconsistencies were.

However, he did add that the consultancy firm hired by the previous Government was informed of the inconsistencies when the PWD was privy to the initial drawings.

Furthermore, the PWD Director informed this news agency that based on his team’s calculations and modelling, the pipes installed for Phase three “are inadequate to accommodate the flow of water”.

In January of this year, the then Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Omar Hodge had stated that phase three of the project included raising approximately 12 inches of the road from its current level to accommodate the installation of drainage pipes in an effort to alleviate the surface water that collects and runs on the main road during heavy rainfall.

PWD’s agenda

The PWD head disclosed that his department has a workable design that will be fine-tuned in the coming week.

“Now we have full project management, we have started to study the flow in the area [of water] coming from the water shed, and we have come up with a channel that would take the amount to flow,” Dr. Glasgow told VINO.

He further stated that his survey engineering team will have to ascertain the structure that has been built so far, and to get exact on-site characteristics.

“They will do the modelling of the area and use studies of the pasts...we will use all that information so whatever is constructed can accommodate Phases one and two,” the director added.

Less than 150K spent on Phase three

Hon. Vanterpool told VINO that fortunately the expenditure so far for phase three is less than $150,000.

“Therefore we believe we can do corrective measures and do it properly,” he stressed.

Cognizant of the fact that it would be an inconvenience for residents living in the area, the Works Minister said he has already instructed to have the road fixed until the project resumes.

“I am hoping before Christmas that it will be accessible for motorists,” the Minister stated.

And when asked how much the project will cost now, Hon. Vanterpool replied, “That figure will be known when the Public Works Department submits its proposal.”

Residents pleased with decision

At least four residents this news agency spoke with gsve the Minister high praises for stopping the project.

“It’s about time,” one business owner declared. “From all observations you could have seen that the way Omar [Hodge] wanted to get it done would have been a disaster.”

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that she wished there was a law to hold the former Government official accountable for the “major screw up”.

“If only he had listened,” she added.

It is the opinion of many that Hodge, the former Minister for Natural Resources and Labour and 6th district representative, lost the district over the ghut.

History of the ghut

The Johnson/Purcell Ghut Development Project was implemented to improve drainage, prevent flooding and ease traffic congestion in the Johnson’s Ghut and Purcell Estate areas. Its execution has been implemented in various phases since its inception in 2008.

Phase one consisted of the encasement and covering of the Ghut from Brewley’s Superette to the area across from upper Johnson’s Ghut with reinforced concrete.

The covered ghut provided additional space needed to execute phase two, which consisted of the road widening to accommodate two lanes of traffic, the re-fencing of private property affected during phase one of the works and sidewalk development from upper Johnson’s Ghut to the vicinity of Brewley’s Superette.

32 Responses to “Purcell Ghut design had potential for more flooding – PWD head”

  • clue (18/11/2011, 18:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    drexel we all know u is a ndp that is y u will find fault u is the one up and down bragging that u will get the position now and not be acting anymore
    • heads up (19/11/2011, 02:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      what damm position...?..sooner or later Mr. Mark will find out that Glasgow is a waste of time and should be tranfered to the college...mark my words deman!
    • billy b (19/11/2011, 13:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      OJ for PWD Director!!!
      • insider (20/11/2011, 13:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        well he looking work so he better tek what he could get now before 2015.....
      • La la la (21/11/2011, 13:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        For true. He seems to be a lot more mature than the current Ag. Director. Don't be too hasty confirming he yet. Tis kiss up he playing kiss up then and only then. Interview the staff Mark, interview them. Big mistake if we confirm him right now.
  • billy b (18/11/2011, 18:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Go Action Man, Go. Finally, give PWD some constructive work to do. Too many of them are on the Government payroll driving the government vehicles up and down with nothing to do. Utilize them and keep the pressure on. Rather than outsourcing thousands of dollars, make PWD staff do their job, which will ease tax payers pockets
    • SHARA PARLIN (19/11/2011, 03:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      OK OK enought of the talk, the press releases, the blame game, the site vistes, the reports, the trying to catch Orma Hodge and the TV shows...OK now people.... The ghut in Percell has to be REDONE..... Please, please HURRY UP.....HAD ENOUGH OF THIS JUST GET ON WITH THE DAMM THING FOR JESUS SAKE!!!!
  • PPA next time! (18/11/2011, 21:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    During the campaign we heard that the ghut cost millions now phase 3 cost some US$150,000. The project as it is has been tested with recent rains and the furious flood were not evident. Could this not be tested before condemning the ghut? Mark what is your real motivation?
    • T2DB (19/11/2011, 08:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      LMAO!! Are you serious? Tested? WOW!!! The last rains we had were nothing compared to what we get when the place floods. How can anybody test the ghut before making a decision? Have you been on the site? Look at the picture!! One flood of rain and debris into those pipes and they're blocked. The pipes are being covered by pure solid concrete, not removable slabs! When the pipes are blocked, how will they be unblocked? LOL!!! That's exactly what caused the problem for the people across from Geido place. When the grill at the front got blocked with debris, the water turned the other way and wreaked havoc. Just admit that Omar and his team were wrong, it has not hing to do with politics. Regardless of what you think about PWD, they can't be any worst than having a capital project under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour. That was just wrong! I hope they put some concrete slabs there in the interim so people can drive on the road, until they can start remedial works. Removable slabs, grids should be used on the road so they could be lifted and cleaned after rains. Further, it's high time for an alternate road to be built in the area. To those talking about the cost. The estimated cost is based on records they've reviewed thus far. At least they are giving us figures. We still don't know how much the first 2 phases cost. If the Government was concerned they would put the facts out there so that propaganda won't spread. You keep people in the dark while spending their own tax dollars, best believe rumors will start.
    • jil (19/11/2011, 08:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      the rain that fell wasnt enough to cause the ghut to run to have the usually flooding in Purcell. Had it rain longer you would have seen the drama
    • the rcok (19/11/2011, 22:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Damn..did u not read the article..it's Mr. Glascow who is making the recomendations..and not Hon. Vanterpool!
  • PWD Staff (19/11/2011, 03:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Schuups! if Mark depending on that idiot again to advise he then he is in for NO ACTION!!! Mr. Vanterpool you will soon find out why Mr. Hodge took this project away from PWD.....If PWD was any use in the first place the right thing would have been done and giving them some oversight...Mr. Mark the Elections are over, get some productive people around you boss
  • CrucianDIVA (19/11/2011, 07:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This project needs to be mitigated comprehensively. This ghut has similarities to an underground aquifer. It is more appropriate to consider the use of Gabion baskets which will better accommodate run off and will minimize future flooding situations.
    • T2DB (19/11/2011, 08:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Exactly!! The problem I see is that many people can't move pass Omar, Drexel and Mark. This is bigger than them! I don't care who does it, it just needs to be done properly the first time!!
    • E. Leonard (20/11/2011, 00:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Crucian Diva, need a little clarification on comparing underground aquifers to ghuts. Aquifiers are underground sources of ground water that normally infiltrate into the ground and can be extracted; ghuts (ditches) capture and convey surface runoff. Gabions??? The problem as I see it is designing the system to safely collect and convey runoff( the design rain) to prevent flooding of properties, to reduce spread on the street ( minimizing water on streets), to keep runoff within the ghuts, to keep hydraulic grade line below drainage components. In some designs, the street is part(temporary) of the drainage system to accommodate overflows resulting from rain events that are larger than the design rain. Further, it appears as if some properties are constructed in the the floodplain. The floodplain is an extension of the ghut system. And construction is normally restricted in the floodplain. Where it is permitted, special engineering is needed.
      • CrucianDIVA (20/11/2011, 12:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        @ E Leonard The operative word is "similarities" as an aquifer, run off will be looking for someplace to go. In this instance, where is the run off being captured? Studies show when looking at sutuations of this magnitude, vis a vis a floodplain, the water needs to be collected, ie, a dam or even the sea. Hence, agreed a comprehensive drainage system is necessary. If you look at the photos I trust you will agree the pipes are insufficient to withstand a medium or even an aggressive run off. I worked on a similar project with the army Corp of engineers and although lengthy the issue has been mitigated. PWD has its work to do.
  • do it! (19/11/2011, 12:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    go Minister you are the action man
  • love man (19/11/2011, 12:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    but hold the hell up NDP and Mark Vanterpool tis project is abput 90% complete, so just finish the project and give it a chance before making hasty decisions just to mek Orma and the VIP look bad!!!!!!!!.
    • T2DB (19/11/2011, 16:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You are indeed an ass! We should spend more money, risk people lives, knowing that the damn pipes will clog up and the road will have to be dug up any way? Schuuuups!! Go sit down man, ya'll just sickening with the politicking!! Omar was doing pure shit and even the people that used to support him agreed. Look at the trouncing he got at the polls! Majority was because of the stupid ghut, he said so himself and I believe it!! It doesn't take an engineer to look down there and see that their approach is utter rubbish!!
      • to t2db (19/11/2011, 23:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        boss I from here you cannot even speak like tis where you from...you are the jackass!
        • T2DB (20/11/2011, 09:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          I'm from here too what's your point? LOL!!! T2DB = Tolian 2 Deh Bone!!!
  • my two cents (19/11/2011, 20:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am no expert or no engineer but when I drive by there the pipes looked too small..... But I was told the spanish man Orma had on the project is a qualified engineer!!!!!! Maybe they should also get Water and Sewerage invloved for water flow issues...my two cents
  • E. Leonard (19/11/2011, 21:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Collecting and safely conveying storm water (rain) runoff is more complicated than it appears; it is a lot more than just placing pipe in the ground or cutting ditches to move runoff. An effective drainage system must be properly designed, constructed , and maintained to meet the design intent of preventing and/or minimizing flooding. Generally, a conventional major drainage system is designed to achieve a single purpose: flood control during large, infrequent rains. Further, a drainage system is designed for a specific rain event, i.e., 5-year, 10-year, 25-year, 50-year, 100-year or 500-year. Design rain events are determined by the number of inches of rain falling within a certain time. For example 18" in an hour. With the volume of runoff associated with rain event(s) known, the size of the ghut, pipes, or appurtenances( inlets, manholes, culverts..etc) can be determined. Furthermore, with technology systems can be easily modeled to ascertain how they will performed under the design rain event, along with higher rain events. For example a 25-year design rain will be modeled for performance under 25-year rain conditions and for 100-year rain conditions. It is important to know the performance impact under the higher rain conditions so that adjustments can be made. In the intro I stated that drainage is complicated; it is. It involves hydrology, hydraulics, hydraulic grade lines, pressure flow, gravity flow, slopes, surcharging...etc. As such the design of drainage systems should be under the purview of trained, experienced, knowledgeable civil engineers. Public works has a lead engineer; empower him and hold him accountable for the outcomes and end results. Knowledge workers are evaluated through end results.
  • Talk Bring Talk (19/11/2011, 22:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ok fear enough... The pipes are too small.... But the other day it rained hard for about 3 days non stop.... There were no clogs, so y we gonna let alllllllllll that money go down the drain? Isn't this the same money we keep hearing about being wasted. So where is that which was already spent going now again???
    • T2DB (20/11/2011, 09:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      How do you know that the pipes are not clogged? They are probably filled with mud as we speak but there's no way of knowing that. Furthermore, that 3 days of rain you mention is a drop in the bucket compared to what we get when the place floods. Tortola is not easily flooded, it takes at least 1-2 weeks of rain non-stop, where the hillside becomes saturated, for us to flood. 3 days rain is nothing to compare to. I understand your point, but when it comes to wasting money Omar should be the one blamed, not anybody right now. If he listened in the first place this wouldn't be happening so the people who looking out for the best interests of all and decide to cancel and do over, you can't say they're wasting money. They are correcting a stupid mistake that our past Government officials should've never let carry on. Look at the picture above again and see how high the pipes are laid. They planned to pour raw concrete over that, no slabs for removal. That was catastrophe waiting to happen. Ya'll need to get out of election mode, nobody is playing politics with this matter, it's a very serious one!
  • kkk (20/11/2011, 09:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    TOO MANY SPANISH MEN ON THE PROJECT THAT WAS THE PROBLEM
  • Cspan (20/11/2011, 16:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    the NDP playing like dem we savoiur let's hope they can keep it up!
    • HELLO!!! (20/11/2011, 20:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Struppssssss...you sound stupid. They just trying to solve this problem in the right way. Obviously Omar Hodge engineer made some serious mistakes in calculations. You are a VIP supporter so you would not see the real picture here
  • george b. tush (20/11/2011, 23:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    so the truth came out..the lying NDP and dem spin doctors told us the guth cost millions and millions and million and more now Mark himself tell we the truth...I can never trust the NDP again...NEVER I wish i could vote again tommrow


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