The Tribune

By NEILL HARTNELL

TRIBUNE Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas has “urgent needs” for up to $300m worth of investments to upgrade failing sewerage and wastewater sanitation systems nationwide, it has been revealed, amid fears that waste systems are “fragmented and environmentally unsustainable”.

The concerns, and scale of financing required, are unveiled in an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report attached to a $500,000 project that aims to produce separate 25-year “master plans” to govern both the treatment, management and infrastructure development for both solid waste (landfills) and wastewater.

The project, which has just been approved for implementation, is designed to close “The Bahamas’ infrastructure gaps” in both areas by shifting “from fragmented interventions to a more comprehensive and strategic approach” guided by the two plans that are intended to act as road maps for improved services, sustainable investment and greater environmental protection.

Noting that required sanitation and sewerage improvements have been pegged as approaching $300m alone, the IDB report said: “In The Bahamas, wastewater services are severely underdeveloped, with only about 10 percent of the population in New Providence and 17.7 percent in Grand Bahama connected to piped sewerage systems, leaving the overwhelming majority dependent on aging and often poorly functioning septic tanks that contribute to groundwater contamination.

“The country faces frequent failures of wastewater lift stations, leading to service disruptions, sewer overflows and significant public health and environmental risks. Infrastructure is deteriorated due to decades of insufficient maintenance and under-investment, while regulatory and governance frameworks remain fragmented and outdated, limiting accountability and the ability to enforce standards.

“A wastewater master plan is therefore essential to guide investments, reduce pollution, rehabilitate critical infrastructure, expand sewerage coverage, protect vulnerable aquifers and build resilience against climate-related flooding and storm surges.”

Achieving this will not come cheap, the IDB assessment warned, with New Providence alone requiring up to $200m - or two-thirds - of the projected outlay. “Key assessments from the IDB, Caribbean Development Bank and the Government of The Bahamas highlight urgent needs, including $150-200m to modernise Nassau’s aging sewerage network, for example Clifton Pier wastewater plant upgrades, $50m for Grand Bahama’s sanitation systems, and $30m-$50m to expand decentralised solutions in the Family Islands,” it disclosed.

“In addition, inadequate wastewater services may disproportionately affect women and other vulnerable groups due to their primary roles in household water management and care-giving responsibilities. Service disruptions, environmental contamination and public health risks can increase unpaid care burdens and negatively affect quality of life, particularly in under-served communities.”

Turning to The Bahamas’ solid waste management systems and infrastructure, the IDB report seemed to ignore the reduction in complaints from residents close to the New Providence Ecology Park, formerly the Tonique Williams Highway landfill, over fires, noxious fumes and other nuisances since it was handed over to private management under the former Minnis administration.

But, pointing to the wider problems elsewhere, the analysis added: “The country’s current urban solid waste sector is under-funded, fragmented and environmentally unsustainable, with most islands lacking engineered landfills and relying instead on open dumps, periodic burning and poorly managed disposal sites that pose major health and ecological risks.

“There are nine disposal sites and only three of them are sanitary landfills - New Providence, Grand Bahama and Great Abaco. Four are non-sanitary landfills and one is an open dump site. In Grand Bahama, the Pine Ridge sanitary landfill is partly owned by the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA). The central government, via the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS), is responsible for the other eight disposal sites.

“Recycling is minimal due to high transport costs and the country’s archipelagic geography, while hazardous waste remains largely unregulated and improperly handled. Landfill fires… continue to endanger communities, and smaller Family Islands have inadequate collection and disposal services. Financing constraints, the absence of household user fees and limited data on waste generation further weaken the system’s performance.”

To cure these ills, the IDB said the Ministry of Finance has asked it to prepare strategic master plans for both sectors, describing them as being The Bahamas’ “most pressing environmental health challenges”. “Addressing The Bahamas’ infrastructure gaps requires a shift from fragmented interventions to a more comprehensive and strategic approach to sector planning,” the multilateral lender said.

“In this context, the operation proposes the development of two priority national level planning instruments that together will provide a coherent framework for sustainable investment, improved service delivery and stronger environmental protection.

“The first is a wastewater master plan integrating sewerage and treatment, which will establish a unified framework to expand sewerage coverage and reduce reliance on septic systems, while rehabilitating and upgrading aging conveyance infrastructure, including lift stations,” the IDB added. “The plan will also guide the expansion and modernisation of wastewater treatment capacity to improve effluent quality and reduce pollution affecting groundwater and marine ecosystems.

“By protecting vulnerable aquifers and public health, and by strengthening resilience to climate-related risks such as flooding and storm surges, the plan will support more sustainable service delivery. At the same time, it will help prioritise investments and improve long-term financial sustainability.

“By integrating sewerage and treatment into a single planning instrument, the master plan will ensure that system expansion is aligned with adequate treatment capacity, thereby avoiding inefficiencies and minimising environmental risks.”

As for the proposed urban solid waste master plan, the IDB said it will “define a national strategy to transition from open dumping to environmentally sound waste disposal systems, such as sanitary landfills.

“It will support the modernisation of waste collection, transport and disposal infrastructure, while strengthening regulatory frameworks and institutional co-ordination. The plan will also promote waste reduction, recycling and circular economy approaches, alongside improved management of hazardous waste streams,” the Bank added.

“Furthermore, it will aim to enhance service coverage and operational performance across all islands, while establishing sustainable financing mechanisms and improved data systems to support informed decision-making and long-term sector sustainability… This operation has been prioritised for preparation and approval, given its critical importance for public health, environmental sustainability and climate resilience in The Bahamas.

“There is also strong synergy in developing both wastewater and solid waste master plans in The Bahamas, as both sectors address interconnected environmental and public health challenges, particularly in a fragile island context. Integrated planning allows for co-ordinated investments, shared infrastructure solution and improved management of land and marine pollution - reducing risks to groundwater, coastal ecosystems and tourism.”