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Water & Sewerage Dept undertakes replacement pipe works in RT

Sewerage works are currently ongoing on the James Walter Francis Drive dual carriageway in Road Town, Tortola. Photo: VINO
The sewerage works currently ongoing near Festival Grounds are to resolve the longstanding sewage backup issue near Treasure Isle. Photo: VINO
The sewerage works currently ongoing near Festival Grounds are to resolve the longstanding sewage backup issue near Treasure Isle. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Many motorists and pedestrians have been wondering for the past two to three days this week why traffic has come to a almost halt on the James Walter Francis Drive dual carriageway in Road Town, Tortola.

Some motorists proceeding west have been diverted through the Festival Grounds to get back on the highway, which has affected their traffic routine.

This temporary interruption is because the Government-run Water and Sewerage Department (W&SD), along with outsourced operators, are replacing a broken sewerage pipe from the Treasure Isle Hotel area to the Pump Station in the vicinity of the 1780 Lower Estate Sugar Works Museum.

W&SD Engineer Bernard P. Grant confirmed to our newsroom this evening, January 11, 2018 that the new replacement pipe should eliminate the sewerage backup by the road close to the Treasure Isle bus stop.

Mr Grant, a veteran of the Department, said the “cement asbestos have collapsed.”

Were we fooled?

In the 2015 snap elections, Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) told the people that the sewerage challenges in Road Town had been addressed; however, it is not quite the case, as many areas in Road Town still smell of raw sewage, even before the devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017.

It turned out that all the necessary pump stations to handle the sewage are still not in place in Road Town, the capital city, and many secondary pump stations, outside of the main, do not have backup power. Therefore, once there is a power outage, raw sewage backs up in the streets of the city.

13 Responses to “Water & Sewerage Dept undertakes replacement pipe works in RT”

  • Windy (11/01/2018, 21:32) Like (3) Dislike (12) Reply
    better late than never
    • Hmph (12/01/2018, 10:12) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      There is also a lot of work going on at the Francis Drake Highway - respect to PWD for getting on with it
  • wize up (12/01/2018, 01:36) Like (20) Dislike (5) Reply
    why can’t these major works be executed during the night as apposed to when the streets are being used the general public: simply use flood lights
    • @ wize up (12/01/2018, 07:25) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
      Because the government is lazy out of ideas and backwards
    • You are a Donkey (12/01/2018, 10:01) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
      Then when you hear how much Government have to pay in over time pay, you all will want to know what they do during the day!

      You all just like to come here here to complain and hope to get likes! Set of clowns!
  • voter (12/01/2018, 07:25) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    So reading this it suggests that mark lied...
  • wow (12/01/2018, 08:09) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    whose bright idea was it to do this during the weekdays when traffic is at its peak, this is weekend work
  • Move the shit center! (12/01/2018, 09:32) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    How about removing the shit center from the heart of the capital city. Backward @#& Island
  • wow (12/01/2018, 11:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Grant there so long and he can't make chief???
  • NezRez (12/01/2018, 17:51) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    People want sewerage done....they’re doing it
    People want it done on weekends......itll never get done
    People want it done at night.....even with flood lights it’s hard to see at night
    People don’t want to be inconvenienced......then how will it get done
    Just goes to show you, you can’t please all of the people all of the time.
  • Diaspora (13/01/2018, 09:49) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    “It turned out that all the necessary pump stations to handle the sewage are still not in place in Road Town, the capital city, and many secondary pump stations, outside of the main, do not have backup power. Therefore, once there is a power outage, raw sewage backs up in the streets of the city.” Interesting! If pump stations and lift stations are needed to attain effective sewage flow yet they are not in place. WTF is going to happen? Further, if there are no backup power, what happens when, not if, power is lost? Shit will back up and overflow in the street and elsewhere, exposing people to raw sewage. Here is a news flash exposure to raw sewage poses a health risk. This situation raises more questions.

    How long has this asbestos pipe (are asbestos pipe still being used? Hope the proper precautions are being taken to protect the workers and public) been broken? Do not tell me it has been broken for months. If so this is gross negligence; it is exposing the public to unnecessary health risks. This pipe should have been repaired right away but no later than the day after discovery. By the way, has the raw sewage been oozing into the sea all this time?

    What is the slope of the pipe? Proper slope is required to achieve the minimum velocity to maintain flow and keep debris from settling out in the pipe, if it is gravity flow. Is this a temporary fix or an upgrade consistent with the master plan? Yes, we do have a master plan? What type of pipe is being used? RCP or HDPE or VCP? Why is this work not being done on week ends or preferably at night? The BVI/Road Town has a small road network with few opportunities for detours through alternate routes. Thus, to the maximum extent practical, actions should be taken to minimize the disruption to traffic flow. Yes, it will cost more working at night but that is the reality and cost of living on a small island/territory. By the way, hope the pump station is feeding a sewage treatment plant? What is done with the sludge from the treatment plant?


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