Relief may finally be underway at Vigie Beach, where vendors and beach regulars say a persistent, foul-smelling sewage leak has plagued the area for years. The National Conservation Authority (NCA) recently cordoned off sections of the beach, began repair work, and curbed the leak. However, some in the area say they will not be satisfied until the problem is fixed permanently, noting that similar leaks have occurred intermittently over the past seven years.
The seepage, which occurs directly opposite the George F. L. Charles Airport is reportedly from three of eight waste tanks installed on the beach. The tanks collect waste from eight nearby restaurants and two public toilets operating along the beachfront.
The most recent leak, some say, has been building for weeks and came to a head last week. Some vendors and restaurant tenants claim the issue is caused by a backup of waste, linked to poor food waste disposal practices.
“This has been a problem for the last seven years,” one man who works for a local tourism company told St Lucia Times. “Right now, as you can see, the area has been cut off with caution tape, and they’re working on it, but I won’t rejoice until it’s fixed completely.”
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said the stench is not only unsettling but also affects business for beach vendors. Vigie Beach sees high volumes of foot traffic, particularly on days when tourists disembark cruise ships off the Castries port. Crowds can also form around lunchtime, when locals visit nearby restaurants.
“We love coming to the Caribbean, it’s so beautiful,” visitor Maria Scott can be heard saying in a video recorded two weeks ago, which was shared with St Lucia Times by a beach vendor. “Right now we’re at Saint Lucia’s beach, which is beautiful, but it is appalling, appalling means it’s disgusting; disgusting means it shouldn’t be happening. The sewage smells. I would never recommend any of my friends to come while there’s this sewage problem.”
“This puts Saint Lucia on a bad scale, you’ve got to fix it,” her husband, Michael Scott, added.
Videos taken over the past month show fluid pooling over a wide area near the septic tanks, spreading across the sand and onto the adjacent roadway. Vehicles can be seen driving through the wastewater, and some say people have unknowingly walked through it. In one clip, fluid is seen seeping directly from one of the waste tanks.
Earlier reports on the issue from October last year showed backed-up and burst pipes beneath restaurants along the beachfront, with wastewater leaking from below the structures.
After grappling with the issue for several years, some stakeholders argue that a lack of compliance with regulations has exacerbated the problem. According to the NCA, previous attempts have been made to enforce a policy requiring all restaurants to install grease traps to reduce pipe blockages, but compliance remains low.
According to the NCA, previous attempts have been made to enforce a policy requiring all restaurants to install grease traps to reduce pipe blockages, but compliance remains low.
Some restaurant tenants, however, dispute claims that grease and food waste are to blame, arguing instead that the problem stems from poor maintenance of the facility by the authorities.
According to a recent DBS News report, the NCA said pipes were replaced in the past, but the issue continues to resurface. The NCA reportedly indicated that a permanent solution could involve closing the restaurant and bar area, though it has expressed concern about the potential impact on the livelihoods of those operating within the complex. The NCA has also confirmed that discussions are ongoing with a consultant to identify a long-term solution.
