14th March

Plan For New Water & Sewerage Facility Unveiled

By Rogan M. Smith

The Water and Sewerage Corporation unveiled the conceptual design for a $19.6 million state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility in the Gladstone Road area Tuesday, which officials said will facilitate the wastewater needs for southern and southwestern New Providence.

The projected completion date is October 2008.  The facility is also expected to accommodate the demands of burgeoning anchor projects like Albany, which is being developed in southwestern New Providence.

According to officials, the facility will be the first of its kind for the country. Once completed, the Gladstone Road Plant would be able to facilitate the wastewater needs for Faith Gardens, Flamingo Gardens, South Westridge, Cable Beach, including anchor projects like Baha Mar, and any new developments in the area.

The Corporation also announced plans to build wastewater treatment facilities in the eastern area to service Kerzner International’s Atlantis Resort.  Water and Sewerage has partnered with Chester Engineers, a black-owned Pittsburgh-based company to develop plans for the modern facility.

Chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation Donald Demeritte said although sewerage and wastewater are listed as key areas of concern for the corporation, they have never received proper attention from the government nor the corporation over past decades. "This area is potentially extremely explosive and can damage our tourist brand irreparably if not promptly and properly addressed," he said.  "Perhaps a more telling statistic of the state of affairs of wastewater services in New Providence is the fact that of our current five wastewater treatment plant facilities operated by the corporation, only one can currently be classified as meeting international utility standards."

The five plant facilities are located in Fox Hill, Yellow Elder Gardens, Flamingo Gardens, Malcolm Park and near the airport.

"While we are now proactively addressing this traditional problem and have already introduced plans to expand and enhance these plants, we are cognizant of the need to build new and modern facilities," he said. "The Corporation has a social and fiduciary obligation to ensure the protection of our citizens and residents and we take that responsibility very seriously."

General Manager of the Water and Sewerage Corporation Godfrey Sherman said the Corporation is trying feverishly to step up its services. "Not only is water the oil of the future but certainly the wastewater component is an integral part. As we carry out our mandate one of the things that hurt our brand is not only the water that we deliver, but the services that we provide," he said.

Robert Agbede, CEO and owner of Chester Engineers, said his company’s role in assisting the Water and Sewerage Corporation goes beyond construction. Chester Engineers was brought on board nearly six months ago to assist in designing the facility.  "Our role in this is to assist and be the other arm to work in partnership with the Water and Sewerage Corporation. We are not leading the effort; we are one of their partners. We will be here side by side with them in the design and construction of this facility," he said.  "Our role goes beyond just designing and building wastewater treatment plants. Our role also includes transfer of technology. We will be involved in the training of the operators."

According to Mr. Demeritte, all of the facilities will be built under public-private partnership initiatives.

"Water is after all the new frontier and has consistently outperformed oil in the world financial markets over the last several years," he said.