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Road Town Sewerage pump station collapsed

-slenge, valves and rubber seal devolved leeks due to back pressure
Portions of Road Town the capital city adjacent to the main Pump Station location by the Wickham’s Cay Service Station was awash with raw sewage, running in the streets. Photo: Team of Reporters
In 2010 part of the Biwater agreement negotiated by the then Virgin Islands Party (VIP) was to provide a sewerage treatment plant for Road Town but once the National Democratic Party (NDP) took power in 2011 they frustrated the agreement. Photo: VINO/File
In 2010 part of the Biwater agreement negotiated by the then Virgin Islands Party (VIP) was to provide a sewerage treatment plant for Road Town but once the National Democratic Party (NDP) took power in 2011 they frustrated the agreement. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - It was about 7:45 A.M. this morning Thursday, May 17, 2018, that portions of Road Town the capital city adjacent to the main Pump Station location by the Wickham’s Cay Service Station was awash with raw sewage, running in the streets.

According to information obtained by our newsroom, it was caused because the Road Town sewerage pump station had a malfunction as a result of heavy pressure from sewage flow valves, slenge and rubber seal collapsed causing sewage to erupt.

Waterfall of raw sewage

Eyewitnesses described it as a “waterfall”, and one person close to the matter confirmed it was “raw sewage running in the streets”. Around 8:30 A.M. the Water and Sewerage Department was able to at least turn off the system and works are ongoing to repair the pipes and valves.

It is our newsroom understanding that this situation is likely to reoccur because the sewerage flow has not been running through the main pipes as there is a temporary bypass in operations.

It is unknown when the matter will be addressed. In 2014 Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) who represent the capital told the people that the sewerage challenges in Road Town were addressed, however, it seems not to be the case.

Biwater & sewerage system

In 2010 part of the Biwater agreement negotiated by the then Virgin Islands Party (VIP) was to provide a sewerage treatment plant for Road Town which they did free of cost which has stopped raw sewage from running at sea in the Slaney area of Tortola after some 30 years.

They were also as part of the agreement to help with sewerage main in Road Town. However, once the National Democratic Party (NDP) took power in 2011 they frustrated the agreement and is responsible for the current situation according to critics.

Where is the $8M?

In addition, there was some $8 million assigned for sewerage in the East End and Look Long area of Tortola that the NDP removed and diverted to the Ports Authority Tortola Pier Park project.

Opposition Leader Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) maintained that the removal of the funds was illegal. The government has been silent on when the funds will be returned.

27 Responses to “Road Town Sewerage pump station collapsed”

  • Lawd! (17/05/2018, 15:41) Like (26) Dislike (1) Reply
    Have mercy on us! For we don’t know what we do.
  • The death of us (17/05/2018, 15:45) Like (22) Dislike (1) Reply
    Once and NDP Supporter. More and more I have to agree with some bloggers that we have to get our politics right this time, if we intent to survive through all of this.
  • Impressed (17/05/2018, 16:02) Like (23) Dislike (2) Reply
    With the Cox's Heath fire and now this we won't be able to keep the tourists out. It's just like St Barth's. I hope the blokes from Disney don't go back home with cholera.
  • ABC (17/05/2018, 16:37) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    Under ndp our health is also at risk
  • Fruity Pebbles (17/05/2018, 17:24) Like (25) Dislike (0) Reply
    Another stellar, world class project by Action Man and his minions/troglodytes!! Between all his senior managers in MCW, WSD, and PWD none have a clue. I just gotta laugh as even the pump station down a Fort Burt side is non-functioning. Orlando giving his Bro-in-law way too much latitude and his legacy to date is riddled with failures. D4 better get a decent rep. to replace this total failure. Lawd help us as the NDP Government is Reactive vs proactive as evidenced daily by their degenerative behaviors.
  • spanish women (17/05/2018, 17:40) Like (17) Dislike (2) Reply
    Mark is a joke
  • Orange blossom (17/05/2018, 17:43) Like (22) Dislike (1) Reply
    Funk City at it's finest. You have to inhale toxins from Cox Heath now you have to worry if you are going to catch cholera from the raw sewage. Damn BVI, can't you get anything right?
    • @OB (17/05/2018, 19:10) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
      Rock City meet Funk City. (IMO) this is an act of genocide.
    • Glade (18/05/2018, 06:45) Like (12) Dislike (2) Reply

      @Orange Blossom, I agree with you. The poor BVI. They have no idea what they are doing. Roads patched up with crazy glue and band-aids, garbage dumps burning all kind of toxins and poison that the residents have to smell on a daily, sewer pumps exploding. What's next Pier Park becoming a huge sink hole?

  • trrefdrfds (17/05/2018, 18:35) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    Well sah poor we
  • Welsah (17/05/2018, 18:37) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    We have become the Rolls-Royce, no, the Bentley of filth. Sure- Pier Park rest-rooms anyone?
  • Judgment (17/05/2018, 18:37) Like (14) Dislike (7) Reply
    All these things happening to us is like a plan for depopulation by some higher spirit (don't know if it is holy or not) maybe one of the prophets got the message before and will claim the glory for proclaiming it.
    • agreed (18/05/2018, 08:23) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
      The signs are there. A cleansing and depopulation movement. BVI need fewer folks of ill intentions and ill repute. The VI need quality people not quantity.
  • Conclusion. (17/05/2018, 18:56) Like (28) Dislike (2) Reply
    NDP: A Complete failure.
  • island man (17/05/2018, 19:03) Like (29) Dislike (0) Reply
    I always wonder why the engineers taught its best to put the main sewage pump in the middle of the city... Pretty amazing.
    Could never be the best planning and its the only Caribbean island with such an amazing level of planning.
  • See (17/05/2018, 19:39) Like (24) Dislike (4) Reply
    No ... we dont need any outside help at all . Please lets advertise for someone with an engineering brain . There is none in this territory period so stop the clown parade. Goodbye cruise ships goodbye tourism
  • NOT (17/05/2018, 20:17) Like (33) Dislike (0) Reply

    Not even sh*** we can get right.

  • Jeeze (17/05/2018, 20:55) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Had to get 2 humidifiers to try and keep the air in my home clean because I am tired of smelling the smoke from the dump in my house. Now what, surgical booties to wear over my shoes when I am in town?
    • Great Idea (18/05/2018, 06:29) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Jeeze, I am going to do the same. Since the burning at Cox Heath, my 10 year old daughter has been complaining about her throat is itching and she has a dry cough.
  • crazy (18/05/2018, 00:05) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    Sh.. t hit the fan
  • Socrates (18/05/2018, 04:08) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Is the sewage flow under gravity or pressure flow? Is the system collapse due to poor design, construction, operation and maintenance? Is the system state-of-the-art? Is the discharge from the plant tested to monitor the quality of discharge with established standards? What standard(s) is being used?
  • Fact sheet (18/05/2018, 07:09) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where the know it all engineer who fix the station went to. Ask him what happen
  • CGB resident (18/05/2018, 09:26) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    Can you even imagine if a ship were in town and some tourists happened to be walking down that street. Guarantee the s—- really would hit the fan. No ships will ever come here again. Think about the poor person who owns that car what he or she walked out to.
  • Painkiller (18/05/2018, 10:53) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    Bvi government gives zero f's about tourism or its people that depend on it. Actions speak louder than words, if they did they wouldn't have upped customs/immigration fees. Where does all the new environmental tax money go??? USVI captains are consistently talking guests out of spending their money in the bvi because of this.
  • Political Observer (PO) (18/05/2018, 11:02) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    The reality is that sewage overflows, system failure, inflow and infiltration, surcharging .........etc occurs in developed countries with good design, construction and maintenance and with advanced sewage treatment plants. However, a sewage pump station collapsing is another “tory” altogeher. The Water and Sewage Dept. must commissioned an investigative team to find the root cause of the failure. Normal sewage flow probably should not have caused the plant to collapse. As Socrates asked, what are the design, construction, operations, and maintenance standards? Which agency, if any, is providing oversight to ensure standards are being adhered to. On another note, except for a dire emergency, dumping raw sewage into our pristine waters in 19th Century, not 21st Century. Dumping raw sewage poses a healthy risk, impacting the beneficial uses, ie, swimming, diving, fishing......etc.
  • stinky (18/05/2018, 14:55) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    This a direct result of everyone trying the Rolls Royce of restrooms at pier park.
  • Observer (20/05/2018, 16:54) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why is nobody suggesting a march to make it clear to the BVI Government that they have failed us. Between TPP 'cost overruns', BVI Airways, toxic burnoff at Cox Heath and shit flowing through the streets in Road Town. We should be marching for these problems, because it might achieve something.


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