BVI News

CGB sewerage stench ‘unbearable’ | Forces community meeting to premature end

The final leg of the Second District community meetings held at the Ivan Dawson Primary School in Cane Garden Bay was forced into a premature end because of what has been described as the unbearable stench of sewerage in the area.

Noting the strong pungency of the stench, residents present at the meeting said they were appalled that school children and teachers are made to endure it every day.

“I have been sitting here for like an hour, and I am thinking about the children that just be here every day. This is not healthy at all. I am afraid for these children,” one female resident said.

“I don’t know what could be done to show the government how urgent this is for our children … We don’t know how many diseases this could be spreading,” she added.

Protest

There have been plans to have the sewerage problems rectified since 2018. However, these plans have not yet materialized. 

While expressing her concerns, another resident said she was willing to launch a protest to have the issue resolved. 

“We need to march for these children. It’s horrible,” she said. 

“I don’t get headaches but I’m telling you right here, from the smell — it is terrible to endure,” another resident claimed.

Not taking this lightly

In response, Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull agreed that something ought to be done to address the matter.

He said: “I plan on doing something and the plan that I have is simply one that they (government) doesn’t like, which is to put them on blast. I agree with that [march]. I am not by any means taking this lightly but it is just horrible, and it will be addressed.”

He said contractors had bid on the community sewerage project last October and that a decision was expected to be made on who would be awarded by December. Turnbull further said works were projected to start in January but nothing has started to date. 

“Again, this is a new administration. [But], we were told the same thing from the last administration that it would have been by 2018.”

The scope of the government-funded project involves the demolition and removal of 35 lift stations.

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23 Comments

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  1. Ausar says:

    Your continued negligence in the hiring of incompetent engineers, due to their “being bahn here”, instead of competent engineers, regardless of where they were born, SHALL allow conditions like this, to continue!

    Y’all must pay to learn!

    Like 31
    Dislike 1
    • @ Ausar says:

      I am 100% in favor or your comment. Sometimes you have to get outside help from people that has more experience or knowledge of certain sautations. Not because you were BARNNN YAH like they love to say means that you know everything. Yes I will agree that the BARNNN YAH engineers are incompetents sitting back drawing a big salary. Here we are in the year 2020 and no one can figure out how to correct the problem. I BARNNNN YAH stupidity and attitude is going to always keep the BVI in a sink hole.

      Like 19
      • Exactly says:

        There is no Micro surgeon on the Island, If in need of a Micro surgeon to reattach a limb, one would have to leave the Island for help from a Micro surgeon right? The engineers on the Island is INEPT and have no idea how to do thing’s right. Keep on with that I BARNN YA attitude, you all will learn soon.

  2. Hey Mitch says:

    I don’t blame you, put them on blast big time. Someone has to be held accountable for this third world Country behavior. My concern is for the children and the elderly in the Community that have to injest the obnoxious smell of sewer on a daily basis. Yeah I’m down with the program/match.

    Like 16
  3. Parent says:

    I’m about to start sending my child to school with a surgical mask to help cover the stench. It is not fair that our children have to be smelling bio hazard waste while sitting in a classroom trying to learn. Has anyone thought that maybe the smell is affecting or doing something to the children brains. For goodness, they are inhaling bio hazard waste. Parents, we have to do something about this.

    Like 13
    • Anonymous says:

      The odors are most likely sulfur compounds (mercaptans) produced by microrganism when they turn anaerobic after using up bioavailable oxygen in black water. These substances have very low odor thresholds, thousands of times less than levels known to be harmful. In fact, mercaptans are added to propane, which has no odor, so we can smell gas leaks. But, I digress. My point is that because mercaptans are in vapor (i.e. gaseous form), a surgical mask will not filter out the odors. All it will do is reduce particulate exposure. Alas, there are no reliable approved filters for mercaptans.
      To go back to the aerobic issue, people used to have aerators in septic tanks precisely to put oxygen back in so that the microrganisms would not switch to sulfur and make a stink.

    • Scientist says:

      The odors are most likely sulfur compounds (mercaptans) produced by microrganism when they turn anaerobic after using up bioavailable oxygen in black water. These substances have very low odor thresholds, thousands of times less than levels known to be harmful. In fact, mercaptans are added to propane, which has no odor, so we can smell gas leaks. But, I digress. My point is that because mercaptans are in vapor (i.e. gaseous form), a surgical mask will not filter out the odors. All it will do is reduce particulate exposure. Alas, there are no reliable approved filters for mercaptans.
      To go back to the aerobic issue, people used to have aerators in septic tanks precisely to put oxygen back in so that the microrganisms would not switch to sulfur and make a stink.

    • hmm says:

      They need to take their children for a check up and then sue the government for negligence, if any thing is found because they know better. If it was them or their children attending something would have been done long time. Lets wait to see what the Premier is going to do!

  4. Trash says:

    Yes Mitch blame everything on the new administration. You whole district look like a dump. Blame it don’t take any blame Mr whining clergyman. You so hungry for power that you’ll tell people to sue you own country. The place done burden enough. I hope to God district 2 retire you so you can reflect on your sins.

    Like 9
    Dislike 12
    • @Trash says:

      I too sometimes don’t agree with Mitch but he is doing the right thing. He is the District Rep if he don’t speak up for us who will? If we are going to keep S**t straight, every District looks like a dump.

  5. CGB resident and parent says:

    Parents, we have to stand with Turnbull and fight for the safety of our children. We may not all get along but, we have to ban together as one and show them that we are not playing when it comes to the health of our children. We all ban together as a Community, we will get the problem solved.

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
  6. Dman says:

    Residents should do everything possible to impede or close down traffic into CGB until something is done. Cruise lines beware. Take your stuff somewhere else. Only then will the Government take things seriously.

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
  7. Sensible says:

    I’m glad we haven’t agreed the UK loan guarantees; who needs it! Its only one our main tourist spots as well as being a significant settlement!

  8. @Dman says:

    Good idea, we should close down traffic into CGB when the ships is in port. I also believe the tourist will be ok with this when they find out why we are closing down traffic.

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  9. Diaspora says:

    Ok. Infrastructure, ie, roads, water, electricity, telecommunications, drainage, gas, sewage….etc is inextricably linked to economic growth and development. Thus, it is way past time to play chess, not checkers, with primary, secondary and tertiary treatment of wastewater aka sewage. Government needs to hire a highly qualified and experienced wastewater engineering firm to design a comprehensive collection, conveyance, treatment and discharge wastewater system.

    The hired firm taskings should include delivering operational and maintenance personnel training, as well as commissioning of the plant. A state-of-the-art designed, well constructed, effectively maintained and properly operated wastewater treatment plant has high quality odor control. In other locales, wastewater treatment plants are located in residential areas and they are hardly noticed.

    The days of VI dumping raw sewage into the sea, a vital environmental resource, raw sewage running in the street, foul, breath taking odor…..etc should be put in the rear view mirror and in the dung heap. Proper wastewater management is a standard of living and quality of life standard in First World countries. It is time the VI join that league. The VI has a $414M budget and an approx $1B Gross Domestic Product (GDP) so funding should not be the issue; it is an effective planning, programming, budgeting……etc issue. It needs to rollout/phased as one would eat an elephant——- one piece at a time. Let’s geh ah dun!

    Like 11
    • Disinterested says:

      Indeed, “Let’s geh ah dun.” No more labour brokers, ie, someone with the dollars and connection acquires a contract to perform a service that he/she has little to no experience in. Contract procured, he/she with no skin in the game, ie, in-house capability and capacity, goes out and contract labour to do the work.

      The length and breath of the territory is replete with such contracts that end up being win-lose for taxpayers. Understand that much of this is politics, keeps money local by investing in locals and has a multiplier effect in the economy. And all governments do it. Nonetheless, the taxpayers needs value for money.

      We need to start doing things right the first time. Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different result is insanity they say. I’m not averse to qualified and experienced locals being awarded contracts. There is a good argument to be made that if locals are not given the opportunity how will they get the experience. All out effort should be exerted to acquire the qualifications and experience., ie, graduating from small to medium to large contracts.

  10. Get out the way says:

    The money and expertise has been sitting on the sidelines, infuriated, but ready to move. Mitch and the others on both sides of the house have got in the way for their own political and other ends. In the way of our country, our children’s education, our not living in our own feaces. He and the successive governments don’t even support his children’s school over the hill either. This all has to stop.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Bioshudh stops bad smell from sewage instantly on application. Easy and safe to use. More details from [email protected]

  12. Raman V K says:

    Bioshudh instantly stops bad odor from sewage. Easy and safe to use. More details from [email protected]

  13. Concerned says:

    I bet he ain’t going to talk about the other stink.

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