Dust a kill we - Spanish Town Road residents choking due to pipe-laying project

A major pipe-laying project which is being conducted along sections of Spanish Town Road in St Andrew is being blamed for dust nuisance that is making life difficult for persons who live and conduct business close to the thoroughfare.

The project is being undertaken by the National Water Commission (NWC). It involves the replacement of aged transmission mains that have become susceptible to breaks, which negatively affects the water supply to Spanish Town Road and surrounding communities.

While residents smile at the prospect of improved water supply, the impact of dust and the now degraded roadway has caused them to turn up their noses in disgust.

"Everything turn white. Dust a kill we!" a woman exclaimed as she threw a water from a gallon bucket on the rugged and dusty roadway near the entrance to Tavares Gardens.

She told THE STAR said she had to close her establishment as a result of clouds of dust that inevitably settles on her ware whenever vehicles pass by or the wind touches down in the area.

"A panty and dem tings deh mi sell and mi have to take dem down because everything dust up. Some a the other product dem spoil up," she said, adding that the dust is also affecting residents' health.

"A whole heap a pickney sick off. Mi little grandson come out a hospital recently because the dust thick like smoke and they are inhaling all of that. Unno look pon di road and see how the place look foggy. Dis can't right. Dem need fi hurry up and done di road. Is over a year we a go through this," she said.

Anthony Hibbert blames the dust for damage done to one of his appliances.

"Look on the fan how it look new. Dis fan don't give me a year because di dust mash it up. Mi have to buy a next fan di odda day. Right now mi mad out yah a day time because mi wah dem fix di road and gwaan. Dem starve mi wid water right yah suh. Yuh wah see how di dust do mi house. Dem wicked to we man," he said.

He then led THE STAR team inside his dwelling and pointed towards his dust-covered furniture. He held up a bottle of furniture cream before stating that although he cleans every day, his house is always messy.

"Mi window and door dem plaster with dust and is like dem don't business. The way mi ignorant more time, people wouldn't even know," he said angrily.

Shawn 'Fambo' Smith, who has been operating a stall close to Tavares Gardens, said sales have dropped significantly and his health is also being affected.

"Right now mi have a dry cough. They will drive around and wet up the place sometimes but it doesn't really help because the place get back dry every minute. It [dust] mash up all the goods dem whe mi a sell and a because mi strong why mi come out a day time same way because nutten nah gwan. The time slow bad because mi nah sell quarter of what I used to before," he said.

The NWC, contacted for comment on the issue, said it notes the concerns of the residents. Andrew Canon, the manager of communication at the utility company, said that given the "nature and magnitude of the work being conducted, it will develop some amount of dust".

He said that the contractor has deployed one water truck per block, which he says conduct sprinkling operations at three-hour intervals, starting at 6 a.m. and ending a 6 p.m. daily.

"Inevitably, there are some areas along the corridor that may require special attention and we are prepared to address those areas as long as we are made aware of them," Canon said.