In response to a question raised about concerns by members of the public with regard to the proposed building of the new school being a potential threat to the water source, he defended the decision taken in claiming that mitigation measures will be put in place.
“Our decision to recommend the site is based on a number of factors; one being that this site chosen is to the southern end of the aquifer which means the wells in the area are to the north of the site and the ground water, it’s not like it’s just sitting there, the ground water is flowing underground. It is flowing from the north and to the south so by the time that it reach that site it would have passed the wells already. The other thing is that we believe that we can build in a number mitigation measures that will keep the water underground protected from possible contamination.”
Williams, however, alluded that it will be the responsibility of the relevant authorities to be involved in ensuring that maintenance is upheld after construction of the school.
“We intend to make sure that all the waste is protected and treated off site. We intend to make sure that the systems are put in place to make sure that whatever treatment systems will be maintained because that is one of the fears that we have had all along over the years that yes you can put in treatment systems but a question has always been maintenance. ‘How do you know that over the years it will be maintained?’ and so this is one of the things the powers will be will have to sign off on that that can only work if proper measures and systems are put in place to make sure that whatever treatment systems are put in is maintained. Those are some of the factors we considered that made us feel that we can recommend this site without putting the safety of the water resources at risk,” he added.