CGB sewerage treatment plant wasting away

Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull expressed deep concern over the state of the unused Cane Garden Bay sewerage treatment plant, describing it as a missed opportunity that has cost the people of the BVI dearly.

Speaking during an Opposition forum, Turnbull highlighted that the plant, which was constructed several years ago at an estimated cost between $7 million and $10 million, is not currently serving its intended purpose. “Cane Garden Bay has a sewerage treatment plant… that is down there whistling,” Turnbull said, noting that while the physical plant is in place, there has been no follow-through in connecting the necessary pipelines—referred to as “laterals”—to channel sewerage into the plant for treatment.

Turnbull stressed that despite multiple contracts awarded over the years, the necessary connections to make the plant functional remain unimplemented. “Since 2020, a contract has been awarded and this government… that is elected, whether under the former leader and the current one, are still yet to implement or put the funding for a sewerage project,” Turnbull lamented. Cane Garden Bay, one of the BVI’s most popular tourist destinations, has long struggled with sewerage treatment issues, particularly following the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The failure to properly connect the plant has resulted in an ongoing public health concern, as untreated waste threatens both the local environment and residents.