Phase 2 of Flood Mitigation Project to Begin in June

The rainy season seems already to be upon us. That usually means increased flooding in low lying areas of Belize City.  The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing is working to alleviate this problem on the south side through a twenty-million-dollar loan secured from the Inter-American Development Bank back in 2018.  According to Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner, works to address drainage in the flood prone areas of the city began under the previous administration and a “Protective Work Package Two” will begin in June.  Chief Engineer at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development provided details today. 

Lennox Bradley

Lennox Bradley, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing

“It consists principally of some earth works of course that we have to deal with. The canals in Belize City we have to clean them. Some are already cleaned; some are aligned and all that. This is a continuation of it. We are cleaning the collapsed Collet Canal section between Caesar Ridge Bridge to the seaside. We will rebuild that canal.  It will be on pile foundation. We will also put an Archimedes screw pump there. Again, because of the level of Belize City, there will be a need to pump out water at times when we want to alleviate and minimize levels of flooding. The pumps will work along with the sluice gates because that can open up to allow water in or out. Of course, in this case it is to allow water to come out and where necessary to prevent water from coming back in. We will also be building the pump house that goes along with the pump, a siltation basin because we have to look at the sustainability of this project. Of course, sedimentation will build up close to the seaside near the pump station. So, a silt basin will help us to try do a maintenance. We will also try to address concern of residence in the area to build a boat slip because if you notice in the area, we did a dilapidated old boat slip. We will be building a boat slip for four boats, to accommodate four boats. We will be landscaping the whole area. And rehabilitating the old fish market that exists there. The old fish market is not in use.”

Mayor Wagner says areas like Orange Street, which usually experience significant floods, are already seeing less of this since the first series of works were done in the area.