Gumbs apologizes as old sewage pump failed and disrupted multiple districts

GREAT BAY--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Patrice Gumbs, has apologized to residents affected by recent sewage pump failures across the island, acknowledging the disruption caused and assuring the public that repair efforts are ongoing.

The Minister said the country has seen an increase in breakdowns across its sewage pump network in recent weeks, with failures reported at stations in Philipsburg, Belvedere, Fort Willem, and Middle Region. He noted that the current system includes 13 major pumping stations and related infrastructure, with some components now approaching 30 years in age.

Minister Gumbs said the Ministry has a comprehensive understanding of what is required and that staff have been working continuously to secure the necessary parts, carry out repairs, and make the interventions needed to prevent major service disruptions.

“I wish to express our sincerest apologies to those who have been affected by these breakdowns, and I thank the public for its understanding, cooperation, and patience,” the Minister said. He also thanked Ministry teams for their work and urged motorists and residents to remain mindful of repair crews operating on the road network.

The Minister said the recent breakdowns also reinforce the need for broader, long-term upgrades to the country’s wastewater system, including improved capacity, reliability, and resilience.

As part of that wider effort, government is moving ahead with the Sint Maarten Wastewater Management Project (SWMP), which is designed to expand and strengthen wastewater infrastructure and reduce long-standing public health and environmental risks. The project includes expansion and rehabilitation of the sewer network in the Cul-de-Sac basin, upgrades and optimization of the existing wastewater treatment plant on A.Th. Illidge Road, and technical support to strengthen VROMI’s long-term wastewater management capacity.

Minister Gumbs noted that the government will be connecting the Cul-de-Sac area under this project, while work has already started to finally realize household connections for Dutch Quarter. That aligns with public updates given in December 2025, when government and the National Recovery Program Bureau said SWMP would proceed alongside private household connection work in Dutch Quarter, with a broader push to improve wastewater services and protect public health.

According to project information published by the NRPB, only about 10 percent of households are currently connected to the national sewer system. The SWMP is intended to expand that reach significantly by extending the sewer network and increasing the number of residents served by the wastewater treatment plant. The project also includes work to improve sludge treatment, strengthen monitoring, and lay the groundwork for future island-wide expansion.

The SWMP is being implemented by the NRPB on behalf of the Government of St. Maarten and is co-funded by the Government of St. Maarten and the St. Maarten Trust Fund, which is financed by the Government of the Netherlands and managed by the World Bank. The project has a stated value of US $25 million.

Minister Gumbs said the immediate priority remains stabilizing the existing sewage pump network while the larger modernization effort moves forward. He stressed that the goal is not only to address current failures, but to build a wastewater system that is more dependable and better equipped to serve residents in the years ahead.

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