THE months-long problem that caused the flowing of raw sewage on to the street as well as the backing up in some homes in the Twickenham Park Housing Scheme in St Catherine has been fixed, but only after it was highlighted in a Jamaica Observer lead story last week.

“Everything seems aright now; the rain fall and the water nuh come in my house. We aright right now,” a resident of the housing scheme told the Observer on Monday.

Another resident who was passing the section of the scheme that was last week filled with sewage said she had seen some workmen in the area last week and noticed that the sewage had dried up shortly after and that the stench was also gone.

“Me appreciate it. I appreciate the help unu give we,” she said, in reference to the Observer story.

Even though most residents seemed to be of the view that the problem was permanently fixed, one resident was sceptical that it could reoccur.

“This morning (Monday) the water came back up but later on it eventually dried up. To me it keeps on coming up,” she said.

“I also saw what was said in the story last week about how the residents play a part in the clogging which results in the big problem, but I don’t think it’s just that. Investigation needs to be done because as it fix, it start back up,” the resident said. “Somebody nuh know something cause as it fix it mash up – nuh sound right,” added the resident.

National Water Commission (NWC) Corporate Public Relations Manager Charles Buchanan had promised last week that the matter would have been addressed, but outlined why residents of the housing scheme were faced with the problem.

“The NWC Waste Water Department is responsible for sewage operations for Twickenham Park Housing Scheme and it is a matter that is being addressed. However, the cause of the problem is the repeated disposal of non-biodegradable material that does not belong in the sewage system. It has caused frequent blockages and frequent damage to the equipment. The waste water team is actually working at effecting the repairs that are required and the subsequent clearance of the blockages,” Buchanan said then.

“We also have instances where persons are channelling storm water into the central sewers, which is also an offence, but people continue to do it,” he said.

He emphasised that the sewerage system is only designed to take sewage and other biodegradable content which comes from wash basins and kitchens.

“What you have happening is instances where persons breach the system and channel either the run-off water in their yards or the storm water from their roof into the sewers, and it means that when it rains the sewers are overcharged and are unable to carry the volume…,” Buchanan said.

– Shanae Stewart