“You Can’t Even Open Your Windows”: George and Norton Street Residents Fume Over Persistent Sewage Overflow
By: Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Life for residents at the corner of George and Norton Streets has become a “nauseating ordeal.” For the past two months, neighbors of Shally’s Seafood say they have been trapped in their homes by an overflowing sewage system they claim is being overwhelmed by the business’s daily operations.
Local residents Cindy and Alisha (names changed for privacy) reached out to Nightly News to showcase the graphic reality of waste water flooding their properties, creating a severe health hazard for the young children and “shut-in” seniors living next door.
The “Oil and Grease” Connection
The residents believe the root of the problem lies in how the establishment manages its kitchen waste.
- Sewer Backup: Cindy, whose yard is directly impacted, alleges that the business has routed its washing and prep pipes directly into the main sewage line. “It is causing a backup with oil and so on,” she explained, noting that the grease from the seafood operations appears to be solidifying and blocking the flow.
- The “Hotel” Excuse: When confronted, Cindy says the business owners claimed the blockage is actually coming from a hotel located several buildings away. However, the residents say they have video evidence showing the waste water originating directly from the Shally’s Seafood yard.
A Lifestyle Under Siege
The stench and unsanitary conditions have forced families to change how they live in their own homes.
- Trapped Indoors: Alisha, who lives one building away, says the smell is unbearable. “You can’t open your window, you can’t come downstairs… and I have a two-year-old baby,” she lamented.
- Vulnerable Residents: The neighbors expressed deep concern for a “shut-in” family member who occupies the lower flat of the building closest to the overflow, where the sewage is most stagnant.
- Dismissive Responses: When Alisha attempted to complain to the business, she was reportedly met with indifference. “When you go and complain, they are telling you ‘do what you want,'” she told our cameras.
GWI Intervention: A Temporary Fix?
The Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) has already been called to the scene multiple times, but the relief has been short-lived.
- Blowing Out the Lines: GWI ranks have previously arrived to “blow out” the sewage line to clear the immediate blockage. However, residents argue that without a grease trap or a change in how the business disposes of its waste, the lines simply back up again within 24 to 48 hours.
- Environmental Health Follow-up: A new complaint has been lodged with GWI, and the residents are now awaiting a visit from the Environmental Health Department to conduct a formal inspection of the establishment’s waste management system.
Demanding a Permanent Solution
For the families of George and Norton Streets, the issue is more than just a nuisance—it is a violation of their right to a clean and healthy living environment. They are calling on the management of Shally’s Seafood to take responsibility for their waste and for the authorities to enforce the necessary building and health codes. Until a permanent grease management system is installed, the residents say they will continue to be “prisoners of the stench.”
