Jan. 21, 2003 – On Wednesday, the Public Works Department will begin much-needed repairs to downtown Christiansted's embattled sewer systems, according to a release.
Perma-Liner Industries of Largo, Florida, has been contracted to repair lines along the Christiansted Boardwalk and King and Hospital streets, Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood said.
"The contract includes cleaning and televising the lines to check for cracks and breaks" and then lining them "with a PVC-coated felt tubing treated with liquid resin," the release said.
According to Callwood, the Florida company has developed a simple technique for repairing cracked or broken sewer pipes without excavation. The pipes are pressure cleaned and then digital recordings are used to identify cracked or broken areas, allowing for repair to be made.
Callwood said the work will take about three months to complete and will include 1,200 feet of pipe under the boardwalk, 300 feet on King Street and 400 feet along Hospital Street.
"This project will address the more urgent repair concerns and provide an improved flow for the wastewater system through downtown Christiansted," he said. He added that the contractor will train employees of Lew Henley's Sewage Disposal, a local company, so repair work can be done in the future on island.
The cost of the project was not included in the release, and Public Works officials could not be reached on Tuesday.
Downtown Christiansted business owners have long complained about sewage flowing through the streets and into the harbor when lines fail. In June of 2001, District Judge Thomas K. Moore ordered the V.I. government to revamp the territory's sewer systems completely. The cost for doing so has been estimated at $100 million.
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