Raw sewage triggers health concerns in Cornwall Court

WESTERN BUREAU:

The National Water Commission (NWC) and the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) are facing criticism for their failure to address a compromised sewage main at the entrance to the Cornwall Court housing scheme in St James, raising alarms about a potential health crisis.

The problematic sewage main is in Porto Bello Meadows, which was developed by the HAJ as an adjoining community to Cornwall Court just over a decade ago. It is still plagued by unresolved infrastructural issues as the project was never officially turned over to the responsible authorities.

“The situation is very unhealthy,” bemoaned one resident of Cornwall Court on Monday, noting the threat to the large number of people living in the scheme.

Lennox Wallace, acting parish manager for the St James Health Services, acknowledged the ongoing issues and confirmed that a notice was served to the NWC on September 26 to expedite repairs.

“In recent weeks, I have gotten more than 30 calls from persons in the community, including persons employed in the health sector who reside in the community,” said Wallace. “Part of the problem has to do with who has responsibility for the sewerage system as both the HAJ and the NWC are seemingly not taking ownership of it.”

Sewage trucks

However, he acknowledged that the NWC is now trying to source a generator to drive a pump connected to the sewage main.

“In the interim, sewage trucks are being used to clear the sewage mains, but that is clearly not enough to address the situation,” said Wallace.

However, the residents – including the leadership of the Cornwall Court Citizens’ Association (CCCA), who have been making representation to the various agencies to have the matter addressed from the first time it surfaced over a year ago, are clearly not pleased with the protracted delay in having the matter addressed.

CCCA member Dr Marcia Johnson-Campbell said the group has been working assiduously to have the matter addressed, but its efforts have not borne the required fruits as even a promise by the NWC to clear the sewage main has not materialised.

With the situation worsening, many motorists are refusing to drive through the sewage. They have resorted to driving up the one-way road at the entrance to the community, which has a blind corner, robbing them of a clear view of oncoming traffic.

Additionally, the sewage is draining off into a nearby pond, which is a breeding ground for mosquitoes plaguing the community.

The Gleaner made numerous attempts to contact both the HAJ and the NWC about the issue, but all our efforts proved futile.

adrian.frater@gleanerjm.com