The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

TREASURE Cay homeowners yesterday complained they still lack a proper sewerage system more than three years after Hurricane Dorian despite contributing “hundreds of thousands” to the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC).

Daniel Proctor, a resident at the Abaco development, told Tribune Business that despite homeowners collectively raising “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to help cover the state-owned utility’s costs in rebuilding sewer infrastructure much of the work remains unfinished to-date.

It initially took more than a year for the Water & Sewerage Corporation to formally accept the $320,000 raised by the homeowners. That obstacle was ultimately resolved, with the Water & Sewerage Corporation acknowledging receipt of the donation and promising to start work.

Construction began earlier this year, with unit owners pooling their finances so they could offer to pay for the equipment needed to rebuild the pumping station and sewage network. “The homeowner associations have offered to pay for 100 percent of the cost of the lift station equipment,” Mr Proctor said.

“Contracts were let and work commenced in late spring of this year. The contract called for multiple crews and completion within six months, a date which has now passed. While many roads and areas of the community have been dug up, the system is largely unfinished and no homes have been connected. In fact, as recently as a couple of days ago, another sewerage back-up occurred when a temporary lift station was not pumped.

“As is true in Nassau and on other islands, the Christmas/New Year’s holiday period represents a time of maximum occupancy of second homeowners and tourists. Treasure Cay is a mess, and one missed pump-out from a sewerage nightmare.”

There are 340 total units on Treasure Cay where homeowners are currently flushing into pits, which then need to be pumped out and the waste removed. They have been pumping their own sewerage since Hurricane Dorian hit in 2019, destroying the previous infrastructure, and these pits often overflow.

The Water & Sewerage Corporation had contracted Bahamian engineering and environmental consulting firm, BRON Ltd, to conduct the necessary site evaluation. Robert Deal, its acting general manager, did not return Tribune Business calls up to press time, while BRON Ltd could also not be reached for comment.