A veteran civil engineer is concerned about Barbados’ poor water drainage systems and how they affect the island during heavy rain, warning that inadequate drainage is contributing to road deterioration and increasing flood risks.

Andrew Hutchinson, a civil, structural and environmental engineer with more than 54 years of experience, shared insights from his work in stormwater management, watershed modelling, rainwater harvesting and major projects across Barbados, Antigua and Belize during a webinar on Stormwater Drainage Impacts on Urban Infrastructure on Friday.

Hutchinson argued that inadequate drainage is the primary cause of road deterioration across the island.