A $16 MILLION dollar project initiated by the Water and Sewerage
Authority is causing odorous problems for residents living near the project site.

Residents of Vistabella say their health is jeopardised because raw
sewerage is flowing into Vistabella river that runs alongside a portion of the Pointe a Pierre Road.

Meryn Tyrell, spokesperson for the residents said work being done by
contractors on the banks of the river contributed to the health hazard.

Works are being done near to Pointe-a-Pierre Road in the area between SRS Drugs and the National Petroleum (NP) gas station by All Trinidad Contractors, the company hired by WASA.

Ellen Lewis, Head of WASA's corporate communications said the work was being done as part of the Vistabella Trunk Main Rehabilitation Project.

The project includes the repair and reconstruction of a 762 mm diameter sewer trunk main, located along the Vistabella River, Pointe-a-Pierre, Vistabella. Construction of a river wall, replacement of approximately 250 meters of sewer trunk mains along the southern bank of the river, re-establish existing sewer connections, reconstruct existing manholes and the installation of interconnections and service connections are also included said.

Lewis said, "This is a permanent solution to a longstanding sewer problem that has plagued this community. Land slippage of the roadway along Pointe a Pierre Road and the surrounding land has occurred and is believed to have contributed in part to the dislodging of a section of the sewer trunk main."

She said "in the interim we will seek to re-route the line and chlorinate the flows to contain any public health  issue that may arise”
 
Work began on February 1 and is expected to be completed in August.
Tyrell said, "About a month ago, the concrete pipes which the sewerage runs through were removed. When they ( the contractors) removed the lines, they did not even create a basin for the sewerage to flow into.They could have built a basin and let all the sewerage go there.What they did instead was create a path for the sewerage to go straight into the river."

He said some measures needed to be put in place during the interim process.

A few years ago, residents were faced with a similar problem when the lines were damaged by another contractor.

Tyrell also complained about landslips occurring on the river's bank causing houses to be severely damaged.

" We are hoping that the Ministry of Works will be able to do some work on this river. They fixed one side of the road and the problem was solved a bit there. Now we are hoping that the other side will soon be fixed. People's properties are going into the river."