Water St pump back in working order

The Water Street pump is now in working order, says City Engineer Colvern Venture.

Venture had told this newspaper on Friday that a minor glitch in finding a specific part for the pump at Water Street, located within the vicinity of JP Santos, prevented council workers from completing the task of repairing it.

The part was later found and council workers completed work on the pump yesterday.

Thus the pump will be in working order, assisting in the drainage of excess water in the city due to heavy rainfall. The Water Street pump and the Lamaha Street pump located near BK International were both reported as not working.

Venture told Stabroek News on Thursday that the failure of the pumps was as a result of garbage piled up at the base of the pumps. This pile-up, he added, damaged the foot of the pumps, which in turn caused the hydraulic fluid to leak out. Venture said that in relation to the Lamaha Street pump, the Cummings Canal assists in the draining of water from that area since the pump is not currently active.

Deputy Mayor Pat Chase-Green also said that a double-door koker at Cowan Street, Kingston, aids in draining the water that the malfunctioning Lamaha Street pump is unable to drain. She also said that all sluices are currently in working order.

On Tuesday, Georgetown experienced 3.3 inches (approximately 44mm) of rainfall, which caused significant flooding around the city, Venture said while adding that at present, Georgetown only has the capacity to take off a little over one inch of rainfall.