First phase of CGB Treatment Plant construction nears completion

The construction works on the first phase of the new Wastewater Treatment Plant in Cane Garden Bay is nearing its completion.

Project Manager in the Ministry of Transportation, Works and Utilities, Bernard Grant said the first phase included the demolition, establishing and commissioning of a temporary treatment plant. It also involved civil works which entailed the construction of a substructure and a superstructure.

“The second phase of works will include the installation of equipment, testing and commissioning of the new treatment plant; and then finally the decommissioning of the temporary treatment plant,” Grant stated.

Minister for Works and Utilities, Kye Rymer said the construction phase of this project is expected to last nine months, or until June 2022.

Rymer thanked the residents of the Cane Garden Bay community for their patience and understanding during this critical upgrade.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant project is in keeping with the Government of the Virgin Islands programme along with the Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Policy to address the direct or indirect discharge of wastewater and waste into the sewer system.

The policy seeks to prohibit the disposal of oils, grease, and other harmful matter into the sewerage system.

Last year, Cabinet approved a variation to the Cane Garden Bay Sewerage Treatment Plant Project to include a temporary sewerage treatment system. This was priced at $208,569.56.

Cane Garden Bay has been one of the communities most affected by sewerage issues in recent years.

Having an outdated sewerage plant that had not been functional, authorities had to constantly return to extract sewerage from the community.