Health Department raises alarm as sewage from NWC plant found in Rio Cobre

The St Catherine Health Department is warning persons along the Rio Cobre to avoid coming into contact with the water due to the continued presence of raw sewage from a National Water Commission (NWC) plant.

Acting Chief Public Health Inspector for St Catherine, Grayson Hutchinson, says the NWC is yet to complete repairs to broken sewage mains connected to its De La Vega Oxidation Ponds.

This has resulted in effluent being dumped into the river.

Last week Thursday, the health department served a five-day notice on the NWC for it to undertake remedial work.

However, Hutchinson says the department conducted an inspection at the facility on Monday and was informed that a sewer main that was put in place to correct the problem collapsed.

He says the health department granted an extension to NWC to give it time to complete the repairs.

The notice expires tomorrow.