Residents of Section K, Campbellville yesterday grilled City Council officials concerning the inches of floodwater currently in their homes.
“We are paying taxes only for the collection of garbage,” resident Hubert Newton stated. “People are throwing garbage in the drain… this is not garbage this is neglect.” he said of the flooding.
“Why is it only now that we are desilting canals and addressing issues that should have been given attention constantly after the Great Flood in 2005?” Newton asked, shooting the first tough question of the afternoon.
For more than two weeks Section K residents have been faced with floodwaters and like the many East Coast Demerara villagers suffering the same dilemma they are now frustrated.
A group of these distressed residents met Deputy Mayor Robert Williams, yesterday at noon to present their grievances and suggest possible solutions to the problem. After the meeting Williams visited the area along with Assistant City Engineer Colvern Venture.
Among this group was Samuel London who questioned Venture as to whether the council could provide a condition survey or rather a report on the condition of the drainage system in Section K, Campbellville.
“The engineer is responsible for drainage but the overall responsibility of drainage belongs to the City Council,” Venture replied. “I don’t have such a report with me here but I can get one to you as soon as possible,” he said.
Venture told residents that at present some “stuff” was being cleared from the Liliendaal area.
After this is completed, he assured residents, work will commence in the Section K area.
The canal which separates Lamaha Gardens from Section K is overgrown with vegetation, this was apparent when Stabroek News check-ed yesterday afternoon. Williams explained that the canal is responsible for draining the excess water from that section of Campbellville. The water, he further explained, would then make its way through the Cummings Canal where it is pumped into the Atlantic Ocean via the Liliendaal Drainage Station.
According to the Deputy Mayor, there are three pumps functioning at the drainage station but one of the pumps was giving “minor problems”. This newspaper has visited that particular pumping station several times during the past two weeks and the eastern pump at that station has not been functioning.
Section K residents, who have been doing all they can to find a solution to their growing problem, also said the same eastern pump has not been functioning for some time now. Besides the canal and the drainage station, which also drains water off several other communities, there are no other mechanisms in place to ensure that excess water gets out of Section K.
Culverts, according to residents, are silted up and the council has not cleaned them in a long time. However, City Council officials insisted that the canal was cleaned and that in 2005 the drains were also maintained.
When Stabroek News visited the area shortly after 1.30 pm yesterday along with Williams and Venture several inches of water could be seen in various homes.
The water, one resident said, started to build up since December 10 and is not always caused by excess rainfall.
