NWC working on Liguanea stench

The National Water Commission (NWC) is currently carrying out an extensive sewerage programme in northern St Andrew, which includes Liguanea and Barbican.

This was stated last week by Water and Housing Minister Horace Chang in response to an article in last week's Sunday Gleaner highlighting public-health concerns affecting the Ravinia and Standpipe Lane communities in Liguanea and Goldsmith Villa in St Andrew. The minister conceded that the sewage- treatment plant in question, the Ravinia treatment plant, has been malfunctioning and was now at the end of its useful life.

Under the programme, the NWC will be diverting wastewater from this area to the Barbican Road sewers, which is one of the projects under the NWC's sewerage programme.

Green light given

Work resumed on that project last Wednesday, he said, following clearance by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security which had stopped the project following an accident last year, which claimed the life of one worker.

That system should be completed within the next two to four weeks, following consultations with the National Works Agency regarding a section of the pipeline which crosses Barbican Road in the vicinity of the Standpipe gully.

Arrangements will be made with that agency, regarding road closure and single-lane traffic, as well as road reinstatement for all areas affected by the trench.

Chang said the Barbican Road project was one of three sewerage projects being undertaken by the NWC, as part of a planned programme to increase wastewater collection in the Corporate Area.

Two other projects, at Paddington Terrace and Wiggan Loop, have already been completed.

The minister further noted that while the NWC is dealing with the sewerage in the area, "it is up to the residents of the affected communities to ensure that the gullies remain clear of garbage and other debris which contribute to the infestation of rats and flies".

EDITORS NOTE: Photographs which were published with last week's article about the problems in Ravinia, Standpipe and Goldsmith Villa were in fact from the Goldsmith Villa area and not Standpipe as indicated in the caption. The error is regretted.