Sewage mess capped, residents assured

Dubai: The problem with raw sewage flooding certain blocks of International City is due to subside with a rupture in the main line repaired, according to Nakheel.

Bassem Halabi, group business development director, Metito (which recently doubled the capacity of the on-site sewage treatment plant), said: "There was a breakage in the main line network, resulting in the sewage not reaching the plant. The sewage is being pumped by tankers, but the pumping is not sufficient at the moment."

The sewage treatment plant was upgraded in July last year following a series of overflow complaints.

"The plant is not overworked," Halabi said. "It [the problem] is not the plant, it's outside the plant; the sewage is not getting to the plant, which is why it's flooding the site," he said.

Residents have been forced to live with the stench of the fetid green pools of raw sewage. Residents say they are struggling for fresh air and are forced to drive through the stagnant pools to exit the development.

A Nakheel spokesperson said: "On December 28, 2008, the main sewage pipe servicing International City was damaged by a third-party contractor. As a result, some flooding occurred close to the England and Russia clusters. Nakheel staff were on site immediately to ensure that the third-party contractor rectified the problem as quickly as possible. Full repairs to the pipe were completed by 1 January. Nakheel is conducting clean-up works which will be completed in the next 48 hours."