A major step to protect the environment and public health is underway with the reconstruction and upgrade of the sewage system at the Vanuatu National Hospital (VNH) in Port Vila.

After many years of public outcry and campaigns over untreated waste flowing into Erakor Lagoon, work on a new wastewater treatment plant has officially begun.

Construction started in late September following a tender by the Ministry of Health, successfully awarded to Kramer Asia Pacific Ltd, which signed the project agreement earlier this month.

The project follows an audit by the company on the facility, which has been a major contributor to the pollution of Erakor Lagoon for the past 50 years.

Mechanical Engineer at the Kramer, Rissel Rowsy, said the problem of sewage flowing directly into the lagoon has now been stopped.

“We are bypassing discharge that used to go into the sea. It’s now being redirected into the soil through a (temporary) soak-away system, instead of the lagoon.”

He said construction will continue to include two drying beds to allow safe removal of waste from the system.

“We’ll keep working on filtration so that treated water goes into the soil, not the sea. A proper road path will be created for transportation of materials. We’ll clean the tank, remove dirt, install new equipment- automated pump, and ensure better-quality sewage treatment from the hospital.”

The upgrade to this wastewater treatment plant will take six months to complete, followed by three years of maintenance, which Kramer Asia Pacific Ltd will oversee before handing the system back to the Vanuatu government.

The plant currently treats around 150 cubic meters of wastewater per day, but with upgrades, that capacity is expected to increase to 250- accommodating both the existing and new hospital sewage systems.

For years, community leaders in Erakor have called for action to stop hospital waste from entering the lagoon, which has long threatened marine life and local livelihoods.

During the signing of the MOU between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Kramer Asia Pacific Ltd, company director Philippe de Greslan assured that the upgraded sewage system will meet international standards.