Sewerage water flowing onto beach at Handsome Bay

Minister of Health Ronnie Skelton said he has asked the Environmental Health Division to look into complaints that water from a privately owned sewage treatment plant is running into the beach in a section of Virgin Gorda known as Handsome Bay.

The minister, who was speaking on the NDP Radio show Monday evening, said this was the second time the health department was being dispatched to the area following complaints from at least one resident about the sewage nuisance.

“They (team from the Environmental Health Division) went and did some investigation. They also did a report which insist that the property owner who is causing the nuisance basically fix the issue.”

“I think since they (property owner) put in their holding tank or treatment system we have gotten a call back on Facebook from the caller [to the NDP Radio show]; which I have engaged again the Environmental Health people to go and see the issue, what progress is being made, [and] what is now the issue. That’s where it is right now,” the health minister further said.

He was responding to a Handsome Bay resident who publicly stated that stench and water from the sewage facility are disturbing her quality of life.

“I went to beach on Saturday around after 2 (o’clock) and the water is still down in the beach under the grape tree, trickling down to the pond. Sunday night while I was sitting down on my porch the fumes are still in the air.”

“Why is water still running down on the beach in Handsome Bay? I want someone to look into it and I want it to come to an end because the property owner has really really disturbed the quality of my life.I can’t go to the beach and have a swim, I can’t walk on the beach and I can’t sit on my porch to enjoy the moonlight,” the Handsome Bay resident told the health minister.