Senior Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Corinth Hills residents say they are fed up with sewage spills, which are gushing from pipes near Building 13, leaving residents ill and children’s bodies covered in rashes. Some families have evacuated as the stench increases, flooding drains and walkways with soiled toilet paper and raw filth.
When Guardian Media visited the apartment complex in Ste Madeleine, a nauseating stench pervaded the air.
Resident Destiny Rodriguez and her children were just about to leave their apartment because of the filth. Speaking to Guardian Media, Rodriguez said the sewer line burst five days ago and had worsened.
“One of the kids fell in it, and two of the neighbour’s kids also fell, and they got rashes on their skin,” she said.
She added, “As we come outside, all we’re smelling is the sewer. All we’re seeing is toilet paper in the yard. The children want to come outside. It’s holidays. They can’t even get to come outside, because it’s smelling stink.”
Rodriguez said appeals to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) had gone unanswered.
“HDC came and never did anything. They came, watched it, and left. WASA said it was coming. They still didn’t reach,” she added.
“They have to do better, help all the people, because we really need the help. It’s children living here. Have a heart,” she pleaded.
Another resident, Joshua Hercules, who has lived in the area for 13 years, said the problem had been ongoing for two weeks.
"This issue has a lot of health implications,” Hercules explained, adding that they first started seeing an abundance of cockroaches before a sewer line exploded inside an apartment.
"This sewage problem here has been ongoing with tireless calls, umpteen reports being made to both HDC and WASA, and little to no avail,” he said.
Hercules said they received an email from WASA requesting payment of $400 for the desludging of their pipes, moniesmany of the residents do not have.
“It is unbelievable that they are doing nothing because you are actually seeing sewage water flowing. This is neglect,” he added.
He said the sewage may be linked to work done recently on sewer lines, as well as the decommissioning of a nearby wastewater treatment plant.
"It could be that it was just done, but it isn't functional, hence the reason why all this sewage is still coming down the front," he said. "Those who are able to evacuate do so during the day and come back at night, but the majority of residents have nowhere to go. They are the ones that have to stay here and face the scent all day, every day,” he added.
He confirmed reports of children falling ill.
"You could also see where the contaminated water would have affected the skin of a few of the infants that we have around," Hercules said.
Contacted for comment, San Fernando East MP Brian Manning said the situation was unacceptable.
"What WASA is attempting to do is to charge residents of buildings to have desludging take place. This is inhumane," Manning said. "There is a sewage problem in San Fernando West, so why are they treating San Fernando West differently from San Fernando East? Residents should not be asked to pay to desludge. They are asking for equal treatment, and we will not be discriminated against."
Manning called on both HDC and WASA to fix the problem.
Contacted for comment, Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath said the problem will be rectified.
"Mr Manning has been the MP for Sando East for five years and has done nothing to help those residents. I have asked the Chairman of WASA to work along with HDC to resolve the matter," Padarath said.
He added: " I am not into the business of playing politics with people's health while their MP tries to remain relevant to the politics of TT."
