Sewage water running from a manhole along Paradise Street in Rae Town, east Kingston left sections of the road with huge potholes. Residents told The Star it has been like this for about two months. - Norman Grindley

AS PART of our mission to be the People Paper, THE WEEKEND STAR has been highlighting problem areas across the island. Our reporter Carolyn Johnson, along with photographer Norman Grindley, will focus on a particular area until the problem is fixed. We will then have a rough idea of how long the relevant authorities take to deal with some of the problems affecting our country.

Residents from Paradise Street, Rae Town are angry. Motorists who travel along the street are complaining. They all want the leaking manhole fixed.

Overflowing

The residents of the area told our photographer that sewage from the manhole has been overflowing on to the road for about two months. As a result the road is covered in water and many potholes have developed, creating a nuisance for motorists. But the residents are angry that motorists are continuously splashing them as they speed past the area.

Frustrated, they said they called the National Water Commission (NWC), which came and investigated, but diagnosed that it was not within their purview to repair storm drains.

So, we contacted the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC). We were informed that they are responsible for the drain, however sewer issues are dealt with by the NWC.

Drainage system

We then called the NWC where a representative confirmed that the manhole was checked on Monday, and that a team would re-check. He also explained that it was the drainage system, which is old, that may be causing the problem. He said that the bore (diameter of the pipes) cannot manage the amount of surface/storm water flowing through it and as such the water is seeping to the surface.

He however promised that the team will investigate to ensure that the sewer system is indeed, not causing the problem.

Stay tuned as the saga unfolds.

Meanwhile, the resurfacing of Mona Road continues, more than one month after work done by the National Water Commission (NWC), was slated to be finished.