The V.I. Waste Management Authority is on track to meet a July 22 court-mandated deadline to submit a supplemental report on its troubled wastewater pump stations, according to authority officials.
WMA spokeswoman Stella Saunders confirmed Friday morning that a consensus had been reached by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and WMA on a comprehensive submittal, to be sent to the court by the close of the business day.
At a special board meeting Thursday, general counsel Iver Stridiron said the three agencies had recently agreed on all the stipulated measures that would be included in the report.
The report addresses the integrity of each of the roughly 75 pumps at WMA’s 30 or so pump stations throughout the territory, describing which pumps are working, which are not, and what the repair plan is.
The deadline relates to an emergency order issued on March 11 by U.S. District Judge Curtis Gomez, in which he called for immediate repairs to Figtree and LBJ sewage stations, and repairs to all 75 of the damaged or inoperable pumps territory-wide. At the same time Gomez also mandated that WMA file a report on the status of each pump, plus status filings every quarter, until all are working properly.
These recent legal actions, which are intended to stop Waste Management from discharging raw sewage into the sea, constitute amendments to a 1984 consent decree filed by the federal government that aims to force the territory to comply with the Clean Water Act.
In February 2011, when the Figtree station was taken offline to repair a leak in a sewage line, sewage bypassed into the Figtree Gut, which discharges to the sea. Almost a year earlier a series of mechanical breakdowns at the same station led to a million gallons of raw sewage per day being released into Cane Garden Bay, which the federal government sued to stop.
In other business, the Waste Management authority board:
- Approved a one-year, $152,544 contract with Meridian Resources LLC for the operation and maintenance of the Bovoni landfill gas collection system. The contract includes the option for two one-year renewal periods;
- Approved a $3,085,313 contract with Island Roads Corporation for the installation of a gas-to-energy generation system at the Bovoni landfill. Under the contract, Island Roads will be paid 3.2 cents per metered kilowatt hour for operating the facility. VIWMA is still in final negotiations with WAPA to sell them any excess power generated, of which Island Roads will get a 15 percent cut;
- Approved a $397,319 change order for the construction of the gas collection and control system at Bovoni landfill. The amended final contract amount is $4,639,08;
- Approved the purchase of four 280 horsepower Flyght pumps for the Figtree pump station on St. Croix. The pumps, which will cost $391,972, will be come from the INICO corporation in Puerto Rico;
- Approved the purchase of two emergency diesel generators for $77,250.50. One will go to the Cancryn pumping station and one will go to the Nana Gut pump station. The cost includes delivery, installation, and all EPA permitting;
- Approved a $53,980 change order for the Weymouth Rhymer sewer line and pump station. The change order would reduce the total contract to the amended amount of $896.520;
- Approved a $1,273,117 contract for Professional Design Builders to build an access bridge and walkway, and install utilities at the former Community Motors building in Estate Demerara. The money is to come from the General Fund and the Anti-Litter and Beautification fund.
