New step in the Chlordecone file. Five West Indian citizens decided to seize the Pointe-à-Pitre judicial court on Wednesday against the private and public actors responsible for the distribution of water in Guadeloupe, franceinfo learned on Wednesday February 8 from their lawyer. The plaintiffs claim that the difficulties of access to water and sanitation on the island penalize and endanger the population. They denounce in particular the dilapidated state of the network, its faulty maintenance and the poor quality of the water.
>> Dismissal in the chlordecone case: “We are going to appeal”, announces the historic lawyer for the victims and mayor of Pointe-à-Pitre Harry Durimel
A month after the dismissal of the criminal case for contamination with chlordecone, on January 5, individuals decided to take legal action against Guadeloupe water managers. The plaintiffs’ lawyer – Emmanuel Daoud – therefore filed a complaint for “exposure of others to an immediate risk of death or injury likely to result in mutilation or permanent infirmity”. The complaint targets the Joint Syndicate for Water and Sanitation Management in Guadeloupe (Smgeag), the Intercommunal Syndicate for Water Supply and Sanitation in Guadeloupe (Siaeag) and the Greater South Caribbean Agglomeration Community for facts that date back to January 1, 2017 until today.
Cuts and poor sanitation
According to the complaint, which franceinfo was able to consult, the complainants point out several problems. First, the water cuts: “The French department of Guadeloupe has been suffering from very frequent water cuts for around thirty years, affecting the entire population living on its territory.” Cuts that affect and “seriously disturb public institutions and in particular hospitals”so that “patient care cannot be done in compliance with minimum health standards.” The complaint states that “thousands of inhabitants regularly suffer these cuts” which can last “several hours, even several days.”
Concerning the quality of the water distributed, the complaint mentions the Office de l’eau de Guadeloupe which “notes that the potability of water is not always guaranteed, in particular because it contains high levels of chlordecone.” In question : “poor water sanitation.” The complaint is based on figures: “In 2017, 70% of wastewater treatment plants (Steu) in Guadeloupe did not comply with applicable regulations. In 2018, 73% of Steu did not comply.”
Sanitary risks
A finding also made by the Water Observatory in Guadeloupe. He reports that“part of the domestic running water is unfit for consumption due to its contamination with chlordecone.” A contamination that “may have direct health consequences and has been classified as a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO).”
“From the moment when there was this observation by the Office de l’eau de Guadeloupe, it means that the water which is distributed is not drinkable, in particular because it is likely to have was poisoned by chlordecone”declares to franceinfo Emmanuel Daoud, lawyer in this file. “Are we able today to know what are the medium and long-term consequences of ingesting these types of water?”, asks the lawyer. “The answer is no”. “Is this water polluted with chlordecone?”, he continues. “Yes”. “Is it a substance harmful to health?” The answer is again yes, according to the lawyer.
“We are facing a totally abnormal situation in terms of health, the environment, access to water and the right to health and this must stop.”
Emmanuel Daoud, lawyerat franceinfo
The plaintiffs deplore that “water operators, national and local authorities have not taken sufficient corrective action” For “prevent and remedy the health risks denounced by associations and revealed by water readings”speak “interdepartmental audit report of 2018”which explicitly mentions “interesting attempts at solutions, but today still insufficient” or even by the report of the 2021 parliamentary inquiry.