Plans are moving forward to upgrade Caye Caulker’s sanitation infrastructure, following the Cabinet’s approval of a US$10 million loan to build a wastewater collection and treatment system for the island. The project will now seek approval in the House of Representatives and proceed under a sovereign-guarantee financing agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Currently, residents and businesses on La Isla Cariñosa rely primarily on septic tanks and small package treatment plants for wastewater management. However, concerns have grown about the long-term environmental and public health impacts of this decentralized system.
Ervin Flores, a Consultant Engineer at Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL), explained that although the company provides potable water to the island, Caye Caulker lacks a centralized sewage system. He outlined how the proposed system would operate.
“The new system will use a vacuum pipe network to collect wastewater from homes and businesses and transport it to a modern treatment facility,” Flores said. “It will collect the wastewater, treat it in a way that exceeds effluent standards, all in the name of improving the environment and public health.”
According to Flores, most of the loan funding will go toward infrastructure development, including the construction of sewer mains and the treatment facility. Once construction begins, the project is estimated to take about three years to complete.
The initial phase of the system will focus on the southern portion of the island, with northern Caye Caulker to be included in a later phase. Flores noted that, due to budget considerations and the island’s landscape, elements of the project may incorporate nature-based solutions where feasible.
Residents have long called for a centralized wastewater system, citing concerns about improper disposal and potential risks to the surrounding marine environment. BWSL stated that public consultations have been held and that the project has received community support.
If approved by the House of Representatives, construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
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