Raw sewage is spilling out of a broken pipe behind the Heron Bay Market Place in Warwick and a worker who is sick of the stench claims little has been done to fix the problem.

The man, who works in the Riddells Bay area, contacted The Royal Gazette and explained that there has been a problem with waste from the building for several years.

A visual inspection of the area by a Royal Gazette reporter yesterday confirmed that raw sewage had flowed out of a large hole in a pipe, leading from the back of the building, and human excrement was deposited on the dock.

Dank water had settled just below the level of the hole meaning that the pipe was either clogged or the septic tank was full.

The man said that although the Health Department had visited the area to perform checks on several occasions, most recently just before Christmas, nothing has been done.

He said that in the past people have blamed boats for polluting the bay, but he said it was more likely to be coming from homes and businesses in the area.

He recounted how a plumbing firm attempted to unblock the sewage last year by cutting a hole in the pipe and after freeing the blockage, they repaired it with a patch which has since come off allowing sewage to flow onto the docks.

And the man condemned large businesses and said: "Big companies don't care.

They are like the big sharks in the sea feeding off all the little fish and never giving anything back.'' A spokesman for the Market Place store said they did not know about the problem and did not think it was coming from their waste pipes.

He said it might be coming from the other side of the building, and was most likely the waste of the restaurant, laundry and shops on the east side of the building.

He also mentioned that drainage was the responsibility of the holding company.

The building is owned by Clermont Investments Ltd. who could not be contacted for comment yesterday.

A Health Department spokesman said that they were aware of problems with waste drainage at that location in the past, and had taken some samples which showed there was contamination.

The problem turned out to be faulty plumbing with waste being drained into the wrong septic tank which caused a problem with the bore hole that takes waste deep below the surface where it disperses, and this problem was rectified.

He said however that an inspector would be sent down to asses the current problem, but was unable to comment further.

Third World Bermuda: Human excrement has been flowing out of a broken and clogged sewage and drainage pipe behind the Heron Bay Market Place in Warwick.

ENVIRONMENT ENV