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GWI to get tough on businesses
A model of a grease trap
Drastic measures are ‘in the pipeline’ to deal with the owners of business entities that have failed to comply with the admonition of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to put in place grease traps or interceptors.
At least this is according to GWI Public Relations Officer, Rawle Aaron, who yesterday reminded that the water company has sent out warnings and given an ultimatum to business owners to “get their act together.”
The PRO related to this newspaper that the company has devised a strategy to address the absence of the grease traps at some known entities, a situation which has impacted negatively on the Georgetown sewerage system.
GWI first disclosed its intent to deal with the situation about two months ago and had emphasised the importance of restaurants, caterers, school cafeterias, hotels and other commercial cooking facilities having the grease trap mechanisms in place.
This, he said must be done in order to prevent the discharge of grease – caused by food preparation – from entering the sewerage system. The grease traps or interceptors are passive devices required by municipalities to stop grease, fat, oil, wax or debris from entering the city’s sewerage system.
The trap, the PRO said, is expected to be placed under the sinks of these entities where greasy substances are allowed to exit.
According to information from GWI, typical building codes require all such new or rebuilt facilities to install a grease interceptor to pre-treat grease entering a sewer. All units should be fitted with a standard final-stage sample box and interceptors must typically be sized for at least a 30-minute peak waste-water flow detention time from all contributory sources.
According to Aaron, GWI’s campaign to encourage the use of the grease interceptors is likely to see persons being prosecuted if they fail to comply in the long run.
“We haven’t prosecuted anybody as yet but we have been warning persons. We have found that only about 10 to 15 per cent of the persons operating restaurants have a grease trap in place. This is unsatisfactory, we cannot accept this anymore, it is damaging our sewerage system immensely,” said Aaron at a press conference last month.
Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, had also revealed that the entities would be given a grace period to comply with the regulations which specify that they must have measures in place to mitigate the risk of clogging the sewerage system. The Minister had also made reference to the placement of grease traps, particularly at restaurants and hotels, adding that several have not been complying with the measures highlighted by GWI.
“We want them to know that they are on the radar. They have to correct themselves, after which they will have to face the penalty of the laws and regulations governing the Sewerage Act,” the Minister had firmly asserted.
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