PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, May 20, 2020, the Honorable Minister of VROMI E.J. Doran, signed the deed for property in Cay Bay, which was allocated as part of the sewage network for Cole Bay, in order to construct a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP).
This is a cross border project between the Government of Sint Maarten which will alleviate land-based sources of pollution from contaminating the waters of the Simpson Bay Lagoon and damaging its ecosystem.
In compliance with the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Area, the Government of Sint Maarten has embarked on a multi-annual process to construct an island-wide sewage collection network.
As part of the EU Territorial Cooperation Program, it was decided to construct a joint WWTP for both the greater Cole Bay area and Marigot, which will be funded in part by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund.
Due to the unregulated urban development of Cole Bay and the lack of spatial planning regulations in the past, it was challenging to find a suitable location for a WWTP in the Cole Bay/Simpson Bay Area which meets all the necessary criteria according to all applicable laws, rules and regulations.
The location of the property is situated behind the power plant of GEBE in Cay Bay. Studies are being carried out for the realization of the WWTP in accordance with EU regulations, such as an Environmental Impact Assessment, Geotechnical Terrain Study, and other technical assessments to determine the design specifications for the plant and sewage collection network.
These studies are expected to be completed by the end of this year in order for the project to move forward with the actual construction of the plant. This project will be funded in part by the Recovery Trust Fund.
