Business owner eyes legal action to stop sewage flowing in C’sted Harbor from pipe under boardwalk

ST. CROIX — The owner of a boat tour and charter company that operates from the boardwalk in Christiansted is pursuing legal action to hold the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority accountable for the ongoing flow of sewage into the harbor from a disconnected pipe that has created an unpleasant odor he attributes to a noticeable decline in business.

Matt Ridgway, a St. Croix native who has owned Caribbean Sea Adventures for the past nine years, said his company has been struggling since March when a nearby pipe located under the boardwalk became disconnected and started spewing sewage into the sea. “My business and my employees are stuck in this stench for seven months now, and this is going to put us out of business,” he said.

The sewage is flowing into the harbor from a disconnected pipe located under the boardwalk by the northwest corner of King Christian Hotel. When the winds are blowing and the smell of sewage is not obvious, pieces of toilet paper can still be seen floating in the water. The sewage spill has caused significant business losses for Caribbean Sea Adventures, leading to a 30% decline in revenue despite a 22% increase in air arrivals, according to Ridgway, who also serves as president of the Christiansted Retail & Restaurant Association.