Pit 3 on Illidge Road near Zorg en Rust is on the verge of collapsing, the pump not functioning
PHILIPSBURG--To prevent a calamity, Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure VROMI Egbert Doran ordered having sewage in Dutch Quarter manually pumped and taken by trucks to the wastewater facility near the Cottage Roundabout on A.Th. Illidge Road.
“We know we have a problem and we are containing it,” Doran told residents who had come to the Dutch Quarter Community Centre on Thursday to hear from the minister what his plans are for Dutch Quarter.
Open sewer in Dutch Quarter, with water flowing to the French side.
Severely polluted pond with standing water next to Illidge Road.
Mila Williams standing near a Belvedere house next to sewage water that runs towards the French side. The slave wall can be seen in the back.
VROMI Minister Egbert Doran (centre) with head of Permits and Infrastructure Charlon Pompier (left) and secretary-general Kurt Ruan (right) during the meeting in Dutch Quarter Community Center on Thursday.
The Dutch Quarter Community Council strongly contradicted the minister’s claim that the sewage problem is being contained.
“We cannot have sewage water continue running in the trenches that are meant for collection of rainwater,” said Community Council secretary Mila Williams, who explained that the water that flows continuously through the large open trench along Illidge Road, down the hill from Zorg en Rust towards Belvedere and beyond, is actually sewage water.
The sewage runs right in front of Williams’ house near the Bishop Hill Roundabout, past a series of houses in Belvedere and along the slave wall, right behind houses, towards Cruyff Court in Belvedere, where Williams grew up.
“Minister, how do you intend to deal with whatever repercussions may come if the French side finds out that we have sewage water running across the border and they decide to look into it?” Williams asked Doran. The minister insisted that the sewage water at Pit 3, at Zorg en Rust, is intercepted and that the sewage “stays on the Dutch side.”
On Saturday morning, Williams gave a reporter from The Daily Herald a tour following the stream of sewage, a nauseating endeavour that left both of them gasping for fresh air. Approaching Pit 3, the sound of running water could be heard.
“Caused by gravity,” Williams said. “You would expect to hear a pump, but that is not working. A new pump was installed in February this year. I spoke with the engineer, who
was convinced it was powerful enough for it to pump the sewage over the hill towards the waste water facility. However, this pump stopped working within 48 hours. What you see here now is the overflow of excess sewage water from the pit.”
It is at this location the minister said the sewage is contained. The filthy smell of the water coming from the concrete structure tells a different story. “This problem has existed since December last year,” said Williams, distraught that her young son went with his hands into the sewage after he had kicked his ball out of their yard into the trench. “He held his ball all covered in faeces.”
Country St. Maarten and Netherlands-based construction company Van Boekel Bouw and Infra BV signed a contract for the Dutch Quarter sewage project on August 21, 2018, to the tune of 4,287,680 euros. The project was financed by the European Union’s Economic Development Fund (EDF) for the amount of four million euros.
The project, which officially kicked off October 24, 2018, comprised the expansion of the sewer network, including home connections and connection to the main sewer line, upgrading of the side roads and improvement of the overall drainage system in Dutch Quarter, improvement of public street lighting and related works, and the construction of side-walks.
Van Boekel suspended the work from November 1, 2019, until February 20, 2020, because country St. Maarten had failed to pay for extra labour amounting to 584,933 euros. Work was not to be resumed until an amicable solution was reached and the contractor received 515,000 euros.
In a memorandum of understanding (MOU), the VROMI Ministry and the Department of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BAK confirmed to Van Boekel that an additional amount of about 1.3 million euros was specifically allocated to the Dutch Quarter Sewerage Project in the approved 2019 budget. Parties agreed to extend the project deadline by a maximum of 20 weeks until October 30, 2020.
The VROMI Ministry announced on June 2, 2020, that “the Dutch Quarter Sewage Project will once again reconvene with the implementation of the sewage network in the main road. The works will resume from the intersection of Zorg and Rust up until Milton Drive. These works entail excavation and placement of sewer lines in Illidge Road.” The public was informed of a road closure for the duration of two months. “The project is in the final stage and is nearing completion,” the ministry stated.
However, work on the project was suspended for a second time on July 30, 2020, and has not been resumed since. By letter of July 16, 2020, Van Boekel complained about two late payments, arguing that the company is entitled to suspend works when invoices are 30 days overdue.
“We are badly affected by bad decisions made in the past,” said Dutch Quarter Community Council president Cresburk Browne. “Where were the checks and balances?” He named a plethora of ongoing infrastructural issues, from the sewage issue to flooding – “you think that heavy rains do not cause flooding in Dutch Quarter? Ask the residents!” – to mud slides, blocked grids, asphalt eroding and Illidge Road having become “a bowl”.
“Minister, you have a lot on your plate. I have respect for what you have done so far. But how are we going to tackle these things structurally, in order to better the community that we are living in? Because we are affected badly.”
Browne urged Doran to take a walk and stand by Richardson Drive. “The scent is unbearable!” Browne said. “To add to this: the biggest problem right now in Dutch
Quarter is the lights. The side alleys need lights, there are none. So my question is, Minister, how do we structurally tackle all of these challenges that we have?”
Doran issued a press release on July 20, 2022, stating that the VROMI Ministry “commits to completing the remaining works of the sewage project in the residential area of Dutch Quarter, as effective wastewater management and sanitation systems are vital for human health.”
Doran said that his Ministry had been in positive negotiations with Windward Roads to address the remaining works of the sewage project.
“Recently, Windward Roads has committed to move forward and collaborate with the Ministry on tackling the priority areas of the project, which entails getting the main pumping station up and running as well as connecting several homes to the sewage network that would further enhance and improve the residential area,” Doran said. “Getting the main sewage line up and functioning is one of the key factors in addressing the running sewage water in the area.”
He said that “picking up a project of this scale requires careful planning and coordination, and the teams from the public and private sectors are working hard to achieve this. Once the detailed plan has been developed, this will be communicated to the community as progress is made moving forward.”
Williams, walking along Illidge Road towards Belvedere on Saturday morning, said: “The minister says he has a plan. We would like to see what that plan is.” The young mother, who returned to the island in 2018, said she and her peers in the community had listened to so many government officials talk for the past five years, “but nobody seems to listen to us.” Firmly: “We matter. Dutch Quarter matters.”
Halting the sewage project has proved disastrous, Williams said. “The biggest problem in Dutch Quarter used to be crime. Now it is the sewage project and all the issues stemming from it.
“For this project, the side roads were dug up, the asphalt was removed and never put back. There used to be side-walks along Illidge Road: those were removed and not put back. There used to be a mirror opposite the exit from Zorg en Rust for drivers to be able to see oncoming traffic on the main road. Many accidents have happened at this location. It also lacks pedestrian crossings. Those were painted one day, and washed away with the first rain.”
Doran admitted during the meeting with residents in the Dutch Quarter community centre on Thursday that Pit 3 is on the verge of collapsing. Pit 4, higher up the hill, already collapsed some time ago and will not be rebuilt.
“What was not explained is that Pit 4 is situated on private land and that sewage from that pit ran over the people’s property,” Williams said. “Who would want that to happen? Of course they do not want this pit on their land.”
Across from the Bishop Hill roundabout, leading up to an entrance to Belvedere, the stream of sewage passes close to the back of several homes. “These people can’t open their windows because of the smell,” Williams said. “Also those who live near the slave wall, the sewage passes right by their homes.”
The tour ended at Pit 1, located near Cruyff Court in Belvedere. Here the pump can be heard loud and clear.
Williams: “It is impossible for the sewage to be pumped back over the hill from here. This requires a complete sewage line, as contained in the Dutch Quarter Sewage Project.”
The pump house is located within a fence that also contains a sewage pond. Overwhelmed by the foul smell, Williams took a few steps back.
Looking at the baseball court and houses beyond, she said, “I used to play here as a kid, growing up in Belvedere. It wasn’t so dirty and smelly back then.” She pointed to polluted-looking open water. “That is sewage water and is connected to water on the French side. It flows towards Le Galion. This is not just our problem; it is affecting people on the French side as well.”
