Roaring River health risk surges with illegal construction

WESTERN BUREAU:

STAKEHOLDERS IN Westmoreland are concerned about worsening public-health risks amid increasing illegal construction in proximity to the Roaring River.

The Roaring River is the National Water Commission’s (NWC) main source of supply to approximately 45 per cent of the western Jamaica parish. The river is also a major recreational facility for swimming and entertainment events.

Cebert McFarlane, councillor for the Leamington division of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC), has called for renewed scrutiny over the unchecked surge in construction of unauthorised residences.

“The unsanitary disposal of waste by residents living top-side the water supply poses a major health concern with the parish being endemic to typhoid fever,” said McFarlane, while speaking at a recent meeting of the Public Health and Sanitation Committee of WMC.

The Westmoreland Health Services noted that it had long recommended that the residents be relocated to prevent contamination of the water supply.

“In previous years, the health department had done surveys in the area and the findings were submitted to the relevant personnel,” Rowan Stephens, deputy chief public health inspector, said.

Stephens said resolving the public health risk was not solely the responsibility of the health department.

“It needs a collaborative effort of stakeholders, as relocation was the main objective,” he said.

Savanna-la-Mar’s deputy mayor, Danree Delancy, has supported the health department’s stance, arguing that the central Government should throw its weight behind the recommendation.

Ian Myles, councillor for the Little London division, said the Holness administration should consider building a sewerage system, as relocation was likely to be protracted process.

Approximately one year ago, there was a renewed call to crack down on the use of absorption pits in the Roaring River community amid the threat that Westmoreland’s largest source of potable water could become contaminated.

That issue has been a recurring problem since the community became the epicentre of three outbreaks of typhoid within a three-year period during the 1990s, but talk of relocation has been met with stout resistance from residents. They have counterproposed that the establishment of a central sewerage system was more feasible.

However, that alternative has been viewed by successive administrations as too costly.

Data from an official health department survey show an increase in the Roaring River community’s population from 482 in 2001 to 767 in 2011.

Over the 10-year period, 110 new homes were also built. The number of pit latrines jumped significantly, while 45 homes had no form of sanitary convenience, compared to 32 at the last census.

When contacted on Tuesday, George Wright, the Westmoreland Central member of parliament (MP), told The Gleaner that relocation was not viable.

“For me, where relocation is concerned, I am zero on that one,” Wright said. “You cannot relocate persons from their own property. If you do, you are taking their rights from them. I will make a representation to see how we can solve the potential health hazard.”

The MP also challenged claims of illegal construction.

“I am not sure what they call illegal buildings. They couldn’t be illegal buildings when the people own their property,” the first-term MP argued.

However, Wright supports the suggestion made by Myles for the erection of a sewerage system.

“I would suggest that we can put in a proper sewerage plant to take the waste away so it won’t create any harm to the water source,” he noted.

The health and sanitation committee had recommended that the matter be sent to the general meeting of the corporation, but it was never raised, as that meeting was cancelled for lack of a quorum.

To convene that meeting, it required at least five of the 12 active councillors.

However, only four were present, along with several officials from state agencies, at approximately an hour after the scheduled 10 o’clock start.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com