COLE BAY--Raw sewage is pumped into Simpson Bay Lagoon from the vicinity of Paradise Plaza in the area of Pineapple Pete and Rhino Safaris, Nature Foundation reported.
The Nature Foundation and the Coast Guard were able to establish that a significant amount of sewage was being pumped into the area from the vicinity of Paradise Plaza at a large volume for approximately four hours.
Witnesses also reported that the pumping of raw sewage into that area has been happening quite frequently.
The Nature Foundation made a report of the incident including wide-scale water quality testing of the contaminated water and has sent the information to the authorities for follow-up.
“This again is an incident which should not occur here on the island. If there is a sewage holding tank it should be pumped out regularly by septic trucks and it should not be common practice to empty tanks out into the Simpson Bay Lagoon,” Tadzio Bervoets of St. Maarten Nature Foundation commented.
He said that raw sewage poses a significant health risk not only for the environment but also for businesses, including restaurants, and other areas that are essential to our economy.
“We have sent our information to the authorities and hope that the necessary follow-up is conducted,” said Bervoets.
The recent incident came only days after an incident of sewage being pumped out at Simpson Bay Yacht Club.
“The introduction of untreated sewage has dangerous health consequences for the population and has the ability to cause serious infections and gastro-intestinal diseases,” Nature Foundation stated.
A video of the raw sewage being pumped into Simpson Bay Lagoon can be viewed on the Nature Foundation’s Facebook page.
