It is one of the major arteries leading in and out of Belize City via the Western Highway but for years Faber’s Road Extension has been grappling with a sewer problem. In simpler terms – there has been an unrelenting stench and sometimes spillage of raw sewage from BWSL ponds into the neighborhood. We’ve reported on that problem before but today the 7NEWS team was called back out to Faber’s Road Extension. The residents now say the sewer problem has been compounded. Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This is the Faber’s Road you’ve probably sped past: an area in and around swamp - in drains, in yards, and even this home. This is what residents on Faber’s Road have to go through everyday to get out of their yards. They have to hop scotch on these London bridges because their yards have been consumed by water - and this is not just regular water - this is wastewater.
Marie Lewis, Faber’s Road Extension Resident
“This is a sewer water. This is not rain. The children have to walk every day in this water, everyday they walk in this water and I don’t think it is right. I’ve lived here 65 years and the water used to drain out through the creek and go out. There is never yet this road ever suffer with water like this. From the time I know myself and now that you have the water
coming more. If it rains, Keith the whole of this place is full with water. If you notice the drains, all the drains are filled with water. There is no way for the water to run right now.”
No where except in front of the home of residents like Dorla McKenzie. She says the water you see in these drains in front of her home has been there since August.
Dorla McKenzie, Faber’s Road Extension
“This water has been here from August. Whenever water goes in this drain, it doesn’t come out. It doesn’t have anywhere that the water can go. It just stays stagnant, it is stink and people have to live with it. It is hard, when you come you see this unsightly mess. It is here, it is not going down, it is here for months.”
Keith Swift,
How long have you lived here?
Dorla McKenzie,
“I lived here from 1992.”
Keith Swift,
It just got like this?
Dorla McKenzie,
“No it didn’t just get like this. Its been here just that it hasn’t been so bad. Its been here because the drain is not proper, nothing doesn’t run, it’s a place where mosquito can breathe, it’s a place where garbage collects, and I just hope that something can be done. Everybody comes and looks at it but that is far as it goes. Nobody comes and have a solution for the problem.”
The problem on Faber’s Road Extension actually begins here on Ellis Alley- a small street just off of Faber’s Road Extension. I am standing beside
what used to be a pond. Today it is a swamp. But it has been a swamp for 20 years. So that’s nothing new but Ellis Lord says that because of the development on Jane Usher Boulevard - the water on Faber’s Road has nowhere to go.
Ellis Lord, Faber’s Road Resident
“The sewer system and the let out for the different areas for the water to get to the sea - all of them are blocked so we will always have this one problem. It is really bad because if you notice, all the alligators and crocodiles come and squat right here. They used to be all about in the yard. We have kids and the dogs so definitely we have to watch the kids and dogs so that the alligators don’t catch the dogs.”
The residents have drawn up a petition which they intend to circulate. We’ll keep following the story.
