Env’l Health Division moves to improve disposal systems
Chief Environmental Officer Lionel Michael
PRESS RELEASE: Environmental Health Officers and key stakeholders in the design and construction of onsite disposal systems will receive training on how to prevent the pollution and contamination of drinking water supplies in two workshops next week.
Chief Environmental Health Officer, Mr Lionel Michael said the Environmental Health Division has been consistently receiving complaints from many communities regarding onsite wastewater (septic tank and soakaways) and the disasters of 2017 have intensified the problem.
“These complaints include inter-alia odour, ponding of water on individual properties, wastewater flowing on adjacent properties and vacant lots, and cracked and leaking septic tanks ponding effluent in soakaways,” Mr Michael explained.
Participants will discuss the problems and solutions regarding wastewater treatment, capacity building in technical and management aspects; and develop guidelines for new and existing systems.
Mr Michael said the preventative measures to be outlined at the workshops will protect and reduce the risk to public health and the environment.
The Wastewater workshop and the Waste Treatment plant workshop will be held at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Paraquita Bay from July 23 to 27 beginning at 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily and is a collaborative effort between the Environmental Health Division and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Interested persons including contractors, architects, plumbers, sewage hauliers, engineers, etc., are invited to telephone the Environmental Health Division at 468-5110 to register for the workshops.
The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires to provide a caring and integrated system of health and social services that facilitate human development and quality of life in the British Virgin Islands.
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I applaud these environmental waste disposal workshops but I have a real problem with the workshop schedule. According to my 2018 calendar 23 to 27 July are Monday to Friday of next week. No offence Mr. Michael but those are the days that most “contractors, architects, plumbers, sewage hauliers, engineers, etc,” are actually working on their jobs from 0830 to 1630 so how can they attend these workshops? Why don’t you schedule the workshops on the weekends over a 2-3 week period instead of during the working week?
Who going to pay for the consultants? These workshops are WORK, hence the time schedule.
Great Initiative!
One question. When is the fire at Cox heath will be put out??
I AM SOOO SICK OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES NOT ANSWERING THE PHONES. I’VE BEEN TRYING TO CALL ALLLLLLL DAYYYYYY TODAY!!! NO ANSWER!
it have jobless people out there who needs jobs inna, THESE PEOPLE NEED TO BE FIRED MAN!!!