…mulls deploying drones to gather info on overtopping

HALF of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC)’s budget of $240M for drainage has been expended so far to ensure that floodwaters recede rapidly during the ongoing rainy season.
Town Clerk, Royston King, made the disclosure during a press briefing with members of the media on Thursday at City Hall. Due to persistent downpours over the past few days, the M&CC has been forced to take action in order to prevent flooding in areas around

Georgetown. So far, efforts to avoid flooding have cost the Council just over $120M.

“Extensive work is being done in critical areas such as Alexander Village, all the divisions of Ruimveldt, Campbellville and some sections of Queenstown,” said Chief Engineer of M&CC, Colvern Venture, who added that most of their challenges are faced in the southern part of the city, because of the prevalence of squatters who hinder their ability to access the canals.
Areas such as Cane View and Sideline Dam are also being targeted, but those are the areas that are highly populated by squatters who contribute to the blockage of drains with their outhouses which lack basic components. The Council was nevertheless able to deploy employees who are working to ensure that blockages and waterways are cleared in order to allow water to reach quickly to sluices and pumps, said Venture.
Water has not been able to accumulate because all the sluices and pumps are operational, and are being monitored regularly. Although their budget is “limited,” the town clerk said that they have been doing their work in phases and receiving support from various communities and the private sector.

The business community in particular has been disciplined in the disposal of garbage and has played their role in helping the Council to promote community involvement in clean-up campaigns. “We are however appealing to our business friends, to stop allowing downpipes into the street drains…instead, they should be led through the surface drain which is connected to the lower drains…when it is short, persons get wet and the water floods the street,” said King.

The chief engineer stressed that everything can be corrected and maintained once their methods of gathering information are improved. Earlier this year, a team from The Netherlands did a study on the drainage system in Georgetown and as a result, they developed a model to enhance the gathering of information so that key areas can be prioritised.

USING DRONES
In an attempt to implement some of the recommendations, the M&CC will be looking to use drones to gather information. King pointed out that with the aid of a private company, they will be looking to deploy drones that will assist them with gathering information on overtopping, traffic and security within the city. Over the course of next month, the M&CC will be working towards this goal, he said, noting that drones will allow them to save money and be more efficient. Persons are being warned not to be alarmed by the sight of drones around the city. The town clerk said that when the project is fully operational, the Council will be open to sharing information with ministries and other stakeholders.