Cane Garden Bay sewerage upgrade launches October 5

Infrastructure work on the Cane Garden Bay Sewerage Network begins Monday, October 5, according to a government announcement.

The initiative will modernise the area by replacing its current forced-main lift station network with a gravity sewer system managed centrally and linked to the wastewater treatment facility. Construction will start near Hodge's Gas Station along Cane Garden Bay Road, extending toward De Wedding, with the main road tackled first before secondary and community streets.

The scheme encompasses roughly 4,800 feet of gravity sewer mains and submains, 2,200 feet of force mains, seven new pump and lift stations, 42 precast manholes and two utility kiosk buildings. Thirty-five existing fibreglass lift stations will be dismantled and disposed of safely.

Work will proceed in phases, with pump stations and pipeline sections brought online gradually to keep sewerage flowing while old equipment is retired. Vacuum-tanker trucks will temporarily service each existing station during changeover. New gravity connections will only be activated once their section passes testing and commissioning.

Disruptions will include trenching, traffic rerouting, pedestrian diversions, noise and property access challenges. A Traffic Management Plan requires approval before major road work starts. Temporary trench repairs will follow backfilling, with final resurfacing to come later.

Property owners and businesses will receive advance notice before saw-cutting, digging and road work near them. Ongoing communication, including contact information and interruption schedules, will be shared across the project zone. The contractor will coordinate timing with residents and operators to maintain access where feasible.

Utility lines for electricity, fibre, water and gas have been mapped. Hand-digging or vacuum extraction will protect marked utilities, with emergency protocols for unexpected strikes. Bay protection measures include silt barriers, excavation water filtering and containment of soil and old tanks, preventing silt-laden runoff from entering the water. Sewage containment and odour management will also safeguard the beachfront during the changeover.

Minister for Communications and Works Kye Rymer said the upgrades "represent another step in the right direction as the Ministry continues to execute its mandate." He added: "We are cognisant of the importance of this project being executed as smoothly as possible."