Grand Case: the mains drainage system has been installed
At a public meeting held on 23 June, the Saint-Martin Water and Sewerage Authority (EEASM) outlined the progress of the works and the procedures for connecting to the new Grand Case sewerage network. This will finally put an end to the discharge of sewage into the sea or ponds.
For the past year, a specialist company from mainland France has been working on site to build this unique network, which uses a different technology to that employed in the rest of the territory. As Grand Case is built on sandy ground, between three ponds and the sea, and has virtually no gradient, the village could not be connected to a conventional gravity-fed sewerage system. The only possible solution was therefore to create a vacuum sewerage system.
A vacuum sewerage system
This works like a giant vacuum cleaner. Wastewater is collected and then transported directly – without any discharge into the natural environment – to the Quartier d’Orléans treatment plant. Two electric pumps, capable of pumping 30 m³ (30,000 litres), ensure the system operates correctly. Once commissioned, the network must be sufficiently connected to function properly. Residents are therefore encouraged to connect to the network as soon as possible.
In total, 4.27 km of collection network has been installed and 287 connection boxes – which form the connection points between homes and the public network – have been fitted. The system also comprises 78 transfer tanks, of which 63 are already operational and three are currently being repaired.
Twelve others, located at the bend leading towards the Petite Plage road, are still awaiting inspection. The contractor responsible for the works will resume work from mid-September, so as not to disrupt the start of the new school term.
Two years to comply
Although some local residents have expressed reservations, connection will become compulsory within two years of the network coming into service, which is provisionally scheduled for next October. The aim is for the entire system to be operational before the start of the high season. A campaign offering free septic tank inspections will be carried out at the same time. As the majority of these were installed over thirty years ago, they need to be checked. A non-compliant septic tank must be replaced, at a cost of up to around
€12,000… significantly more expensive than connecting to the public network.
Who pays for what?
The construction of the network, which stretches from the cemetery to the Hôtel L’Esplanade and serves the centre of Grand Case, represents an investment of €5 million, funded by the EEASM. Only the work involved in connecting the property, block of flats or business to the connection box is payable by the user.
To connect, those concerned must contact the EEASM and complete an application form (by scanning a QR code or directly at www.eeasm.org/).
A certified plumber can then disconnect the septic tank and connect the property to the network. The cost of the work may vary depending on the professional chosen and the distance between the property’s discharge point and the public network. For private individuals, a financial support scheme, calculated on the basis of household income, is currently under consideration.
The restaurant owners’ association has also been informed of the scheme. Businesses are subject to the same obligations as private individuals, and several have already taken the necessary steps. For restaurant owners, the cost of connection is in fact lower than that of tanker-based emptying.
Once fully operational, this new network should help to improve the quality of bathing water. Grand Case beach is currently the only beach in Saint Martin where the water quality has not yet been classified as ‘excellent’.
