NEPA Hosts Wastewater Consultations

November 22, 2013

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is hosting a series of workshops aimed at sensitizing stakeholders in the sewage and wastewater treatment industry to the recently introduced Wastewater and Sludge Regulations 2013.

The new regulations were signed by the Honourable Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change in April and are aimed at ensuring that effluent and sludge released from treatment plants meet prescribed standards thereby not having a detrimental impact on the environment.

The introduction of the regulations also enables Jamaica to fulfil its obligations to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (the Cartagena Convention) and enables ratification to the convention.

Oswald Chinkoo, Manager of the Pollution Monitoring and Assessment Branch said with the new regulations in place, operators of wastewater facilities will need to function in a more cost effective and environmentally friendly manner by putting in place proper systems for the use and reuse of wastewater before discharging.

"The consultations highlight these and other requirements under the regulations while seeking to encourage licensed holders and would-be licensed holders to comply with its stipulations," said Mr. Chinkoo.

The next workshop will be held in Kingston and St. Andrew on Tuesday November 26. This will be followed by meetings in Clarendon on November 27 and St. Ann on December 3. The workshops began on November 19 in Montego Bay.