The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE government has been urged to close the New Providence septage and sludge handling facility until adequate repairs and adjustments can be made at the property, this as a part of recommendations put forward by the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation in a report on the New Providence Landfill.

As a part of a report on the effects of that massive March 5 fire at the landfill, PAHO/WHO implored the former administration to remediate the septage and sludge handling facility, noting that continued disposal of oil at the site had ruined one of the property's three lagoons and limited the remaining two.

The report stated: "This facility urgently needs attention and remediation. In order to do such remediation, it is the opinion of the team that the facility will need to be temporarily closed in to remove all the oil and solid matter from the lagoon one and two and the vegetation from lagoon three."

The report added: "Drying fields will need to be created and the lining of the lagoons checked for damage before use can start again. An alternative for disposal of oil is needed."

The revelation comes as the new Minnis administration has decided to make the report compiled for and presented to the former Christie administration public.

On March 8, three days after a major fire forced residents of Jubilee Gardens from their homes, the Ministry of the Environment and Housing received an offer of assistance from PAHO/WHO.

A team of experts arrived in New Providence to assist with investigating the potential levels of exposure to the affected residents, schools and businesses.

The team of experts visited the landfill during April 4 to 7 and a preliminary report was received by the ministry on April 28.

As a part of its investigation of the landfill, the team was also asked to look into complaints at the septage and sludge handling facility, which is adjacent to the New Providence Landfill.

The facility was constructed in 1996 as a three lagoon system; one anaerobic lagoon, a facultative lagoon and maturation pond. The design also included drying fields in which the solids from the lagoons should be extracted and dried from time to time to assure proper functioning of the system.

The first lagoon was designed to receive sludge from emptied septic tanks and other septage and sewage.

However, according to the team's findings, trucks coming into the facility have adopted the practice of emptying sewage into both lagoon one and lagoon two.

Furthermore, as there is no longer proper separation at the site, in several instances over the last few years oil has been disposed of into the lagoons.

The report added that the disposal of oil is evident at the facility, noting that there are now "thick black solid layers" atop lagoons one and two which have prohibited the lagoons from functioning as designed.

The report stated that lagoon three is now "totally overgrown" and is also not functioning.

The report continued: "No drying fields were ever constructed as designed and therefore the lagoons have never been dredged to remove the solid matter."

The Minnis administration, in a statement that accompanied its release of the PAHO/WHO report, said it would look to remediate the septage and sludge handling facility that is located next to the landfill to ensure proper functioning as a part of its long-term goals related environmental health services.

The facility was originally constructed in 1996.