NWC helps correct prison's wastewater problem

The National Water Commission (NWC) recently stepped in to assist the Department of Correctional Services to correct a series of wastewater issues that had been plaguing the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, Spanish Town, St Catherine.

So severe were the problems at the facility that the commissioner of corrections was last year issued with an abatement notice from the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health and court action initiated to abate the nuisance created at the location.

The Notice to Abate Nuisance required that the commissioner of corrections to do the following:

- Desist from allowing the discharge of wastewater to flow openly along the kerb on Barrett Street.

- Ensure that any wastewater released is piped and channelled to a suitable point for disposal.

- Ensure that any wastewater released does not emit an offensive odour affecting passersby, motorists and commercial operations.

At the invitation of the Department of Correctional Services, the NWC undertook an assessment of the facility and found that the major issues were related to the fact that, despite having an on-site sewage treatment plant, sometimes malodorous wastewater from several outdoor showers, along with other surface water, was flowing into a concrete drain on to Barrett Street without first being treated at the on-site treatment plant.

According to NWC wastewater manager, Patrick Daley, since the NWC's intervention there has been a marked improvement at the location, with one of the offending discharge points now being totally dry. He further points out that the only water that now flows from the St Catherine Correctional Centre into the drain on Barrett Street is the treated effluent from the on-site sewage treatment plant, as per the design of the facility.