A total of $5.5B will be spent over the next three years to enhance the quality of water service to Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) customers countrywide and this will be funded by government and external agencies, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.
According to GINA, Managing Director of GWI, Karan Singh said the utility company recently signed a contract for the construction of two iron removal plants at Central Ruimveldt and Sophia and it is expected that over the next 3 to 4 months mobilization activities will commence.
And GWI’s Shelter Belt at Vlissengen Road will be experiencing major transformation over the next few months as rehabilitation has commenced at a cost of $63M. It is expected to be completed by mid year, GINA added.
Singh said GWI has placed focus on upgrading the sewerage systems countrywide and work has commenced at the Tucville sewerage plant at a cost of US$83M. This system will serve as an outlet for neighbouring communities and will reduce the sewerage problems in those areas. It is expected to be completed during the middle of this year.
Meanwhile, with the Inter-American Development Bank programme the company is expected to spend some $740M to have the Georgetown water system addressed.
At present GWI has completed refurbishing three zones in Georgetown, offering a better level of service. The projects will cost US$6M and are 90% complete.
In Georgetown a $28M project is intended to replace the trunk main in Houston/Agricola, East Bank Demerara and pipelines that were removed during road works. Government will provide some additional funds to execute work in Georgetown to enhance distribution.
Singh said many of the pipelines in Central Georgetown have been in the ground for more than 50 years and have not been changed. He said the company is hoping to invest an additional $500M to upgrade pipeline distribution in areas such as Sophia, Alexander Village, West Ruimveldt and Guyhoc Park, as those areas have not had any major works to their water supply system.
Under the World Bank/Government of Guyana programme, GINA said, the construction of three water treatment plants at Lima, Essequibo, Vergenoegen, Parika and Rosignol, West Coast Berbice are ongoing at a cost of $1.2B.
An additional $4M will be spent on upgrading GWI’s transmission lines, replacing distribution lines, installing meters and upgrading service connections in these three communities where the plants will be installed.
Supported by the government under the coastal programme, $700M will be spent on the East Bank and East Coast Demerara, West Bank Berbice and Corentyne.
Singh said GWI’s ongoing programme in the Corentyne to upgrade all service connections and meters is in progress. The Corriverton Water Supply Project is progressing at a rapid pace and is expected to be completed in March. Over 15,000 people will benefit from this project.
According to Singh, GWI has suffered some delay in Phase Two of that project since the Japanese grant programme has its peculiarities and the project will suffer a six to nine-month delay.
GWI has strategic plans to tackle the non-revenue water by conducting a series of meter installations and repairs of pipelines countrywide. This will address the issue of water wastage through broken pipes and mains.
In addition, the company plans to address the collection of revenue from its customers, especially those who are in the bottled water, hotel and restaurant businesses. The company will be taking legal action to deal with those persons who are not paying for the water which they are receiving.
GWI is expected to receive in excess of $5B in 2008 which would account for 75% of GWI’s billings from customers. Many of them owe the agency a substantial amount, GINA reported.
The company also plans to spend US$2.4M on the Georgetown sewerage system. This will replace 24 pumps in addition to civil works that have to be done to make these pumps operational.
The IDB programme will be catering for 12 of those pumps and the government has contributed funding to procure 12 additional pumps and rehabilitation of the pumping stations. Singh said government has given the approval already and soon the company will be pursuing tendering for the 12 pumps.