Environmental Health Officers and key stakeholders in the design and construction of onsite disposal systems will receive training on how to prevent the pollution and contamination of drinking water supplies in two workshops next week.

Chief Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Lionel Michael said the Environmental Health Division has been consistently receiving complaints from many communities regarding onsite waste water (septic tank and soakaways) and the disasters of 2017 have intensified the problem.

“These complaints include inter-alia odour, ponding of water on individual properties, waste water flowing on adjacent properties and vacant lots, and cracked and leaking septic tanks ponding effluent in soakaways,” Mr. Michael explained.

Participants will discuss the problems and solutions regarding waste water treatment, capacity building in technical and management aspects; and develop guidelines for new and existing systems.

Mr. Michael said the preventative measures to be outlined at the workshops will protect and reduce the risk to public health and the environment.

The Wastewater workshop and the Waste Treatment plant workshop will be held at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Paraquita Bay from July 23 to 27 beginning at 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily and is a collaborative effort between the Environmental Health Division and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Interested persons including contractors, architects, plumbers, sewage haulers, engineers, etc., are invited to telephone the Environmental Health Division at 468-5110 to register for the workshops.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires to provide a caring and integrated system of health and social services that facilitates human development and quality of life in the British Virgin Islands.