What is your first and last impression of St. Thomas?
Consider the pungent odor emanating from the sewage lagoon situated 100 yards west of the airport terminal building.
With prevailing southeast winds, every landing and takeoff drives through this invisible waste cloud – also affecting the University of the Virgin Islands and residents in the Black Point area.
After recently having my sense of smell assaulted again, I recalled the source of this problem.
In the early 1970s today’s modern terminal and airport facilities were the location for various activities including a cardboard recycling operation, municipal sewage treatment plant and the island’s municipal dump. Under pressure from the FAA, the dump and its ubiquitous bird population had to find a new home.
The Port Authority offered a section of land in Bovoni as an interim solution and the dump was created in 1974.
The sewage treatment plant remained in operation until decade’s end when the new terminal expansion began in earnest. Public Works had construction plans for a new secondary treatment plant but federal funds were not available.
In 1980 the Port Authority offered Public Works some land at Red Point and design for an aerated sewage lagoon as an interim replacement for the primary treatment plant. The pond was installed, runway extended, terminal built and the rest is history.
Approximately 3 million gallons of barely treated sewage is deposited daily via pipeline into 90 feet of water south of St. Thomas. Strong currents and a big ocean are essential in keeping waste away from the shoreline. However, omnipresent odors from the containment vessel are an altogether different challenge.
What to do?
Some ideas include: pump more oxygen into the pond to reduce odors, cover the facility and burn off gases or rejuvenate the original construction plans with technological upgrades.
Unfortunately there are no viable options for relocating either the airport or treatment facility. We must adapt these conflicting land uses to the limited space available while mitigating the onerous reminders of our bodily functions. Quaint explanations about volcanic sulfur springs no longer suffice. This is a health and safety issue that directly affects our physical and economic well-being and must be resolved. Everyone’s impression of St. Thomas depends on it.
Editor's note: Bob Mathes was a Virgin Islands public servant from 1972-94. He is a self-employed businessman.