Caribbean Locale Creates Distinct Obstacles for a Pumping Business

Hurricane Hugo presented opportunities to serve his U.S. Virgin Islands neighbors. But Lew Henley continued to grow his island septic business for 30 years.

May 05, 2020 | by Ken Wysocky |

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Caribbean Locale Creates Distinct Obstacles for a Pumping Business — The team at Lew Henley Sewage Disposal includes, from left, Deshaun Marsan, Santineech Simon, Daniel Fleming, Deily Bussi, Loron Henley, Christine Freeland and Lew Henley holding LewMarley Henley. The trucks in the background were built out by Best Enterprises and Transway Systems. (Photos by Chalaine A. Barry-Wade)

The last thing Lew Henley expected when Hurricane Hugo slammed into the U.S. Virgin Islands in September 1989 was a game-changing boost to his fledgling septic pumping business.But that’s exactly what happened to the entrepreneur about a year after he established Lew Henley Sewage Disposal. The business was on the ropes financially until the mammoth weather event hit the island of St. Thomas with sustained winds of 140 mph.“I was just starting to wonder if I’d made a big mistake by starting the business, and then Hugo hit,” says Henley, 52. “There was no electrical power, so hotels couldn’t pump

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