Belize Water Services (BWS) responded to concerns about flooding near the Embarcadero on October 9th, saying its Pump Station 3 remains operational. The company attributed the incident to high tides that let seawater into the system, causing hydraulic overloading.
Residents reported that water they believed to be wastewater reached the lagoon and left a strong stench in the area. Several took to social media to express their dissatisfaction and call for action, questioning whether the pumping equipment was functioning properly.
In a statement, BWS said elevated tides submerged a street maintenance hole, allowing seawater into the system. “This is not a malfunction of the pumping station, nor is the observed water indicative of a sewage overflow,” the statement said. No further comments were available.
However, residents in the downtown San Pedro neighborhood disputed the company’s explanation, maintaining that the water contained sewage. One resident, who asked not to be named, said similar incidents have occurred during low tides. “It is not the first time, and not only during high tides, I think those machines, but those pumps also do malfunction sometimes,” the resident said.
Other residents and business owners expressed concerns about unsanitary conditions and the impact on nearby establishments. They called for measures to prevent further incidents.
BWS continues to upgrade its wastewater infrastructure in San Pedro. According to the company, its treatment system consists of two facultative lagoons operating in series, followed by a maturation pond. These ponds have impermeable bottoms and treat sewage collected through the system.
The maturation pond discharges treated effluent through a dispersion pipe into the surrounding mangrove wetland for further treatment before it enters the natural lagoon environment.
Although not all island residents are connected to the sewerage system, BWS says it serves more than 3,000 consumers and treats approximately 160,000 gallons of sewage daily.