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The government of St.Kitts is being faced with yet another challenge regarding another major learning institution. A major health hazard has been discovered at the Beach Allen School one of the Island’s largest primary schools. Photos and videos have been circulated on social media which shows raw sewage exposed from an open septic tank or sewer. There are so many hazards that can come with open septic tanks, and not having access to one at all on your property could be as equally dangerous. This is because you have an increased likelihood of wastewater and effluence build up around your residence, and this could be toxic, making it crucial that you seek the professional help from a company that offer septic services. Sometimes, an open septic tank can be just as hazardous.

However, this seems as if it would have been an easy problem to rectify for the likes of the professionals at FSDrainage, if only the school was within one of the locations they service. The hazard to children is compounded by the fact that within a few feet of the open, exposed, and overflowing sewer is a stand-pipe where children drink water. The photos and the video shows an open and overflowing sewage tank with very visible fecal matter. What is not experienced from the videos and the photos is the stench that eminates from the area.

The open sewer is also situated just below the office of the Principal as well as the window to the bathroom facility.

One parent commented on a social media site and said “I always wondered what that awful smell was. As you get closer to the entrance of the school or close to the standpipe the scent was so repugnant that it almost felt like it could literally knock you out.”

Exposure to Raw Sewage whether directly or indirectly and having raw sewage in close proximity to a drinking water fountain can cause a number of health issues including respiratory infections like pneumonia, croup, and bronchitis as well as viruses such as HPV (human papillomavirus which can cause cancer and Rotavirus which can cause severe diarrhea and high fevers. The exposed raw sewage can also cause the entrance of parasite into the system through the contaminated water. If you find that you ever have issues with your septic system, make sure you get in contact with a company who offer septic services immediately so that you don’t have the risk of having parasites include roundworm, tapeworms and Cryptosporidium invading your system.

It is unclear if the Ministry of Education has been officially notified of this discovery.

The discovery comes while the government is still grappling with an issue at the Federation’s Largest High School where the regionAL institute Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) has recommended that the school be immediately evacuated as there are distinct signs that the campus might be contaminated and may pose health risks to teachers and children. The ongoing issue at the Basseterre High School may have had it’s genesis from a similar situation to the Beach Allen open sewer . Teachers and Students at the BHS complained of having certain health related issues which they felt may have had to do with the environment at the school. Open sewer and exposed raw sewage was one of the major discoveries at the BHS. And was felt by many to be a major part of what was causing the seemingly extremely unhealthy environment at the High School.

More details to come on this story as it develops……