The Guyana Water Inc (GWI) has begun a programme to boost the quality of service provided to customers of Bartica, Region 7.
A release from GWI on Friday said that the programme, which is being led by GWI Senior Engineer and Head of Technical Services, Dwayne Shako is intended to provide improved services to customers of Four Miles, Five Miles, Carabese Hill and Bydarabo. These communities are served by the Bartica Water Treatment Facility located at 7th Avenue in the compound of the Bartica Secondary School.
GWI said that customers of these communities were experiencing reduced levels of service due to the consistent expansion of new housing schemes. According to GWI Divisional Manager, Bartica, Elson Khirattie, because of the increased number of new homes in Carabese Hill and Bydarabo, the Bartica Water Treatment plant was unable to provide an adequate level of service to all of the communities.
In addition, the release said that Four Miles, Five Miles, Carabese Hill and Bydarabo are higher than the Bartica Facility which created the challenge of adequately serving customers. According to the Head of Technical Services, the communities are approximately 30 metres above the Bartica Water Treatment Plant.
The programme to improve the level of service provided by the facility involves the construction of a new reservoir and the installation of an additional transmission main capable of delivering water directly to the communities of Four Miles and Five Miles. The new reservoir is capable of storing a sufficient amount of water so that the Bartica plant can now effectively serve communities on the higher elevation, Shako said.
In addition, all four communities are benefitting from the installation of a new ‘booster pump’ which will further enhance the level of service provided to customers.
Shako said that while customers will still be served on a scheduled basis, the programme involves two additional phases which aim to provide service for 24 hours.
“As part of the 2016 Capital Programme, we will be installing two (2) booster pumps, two (2) additional filters, one (1) additional clarifier and an additional ‘raw water pump’ in order to provide service for 24 hours”, he said in the GWI statement.
Further improvements included the removal of mud from the area in the vicinity of the raw water intake from which the Bartica facility sources its water supply.
According to the Divisional Manager, mud located around the raw water pump presented difficulties in adequately obtaining water for treatment. Dredging was done in the area and a large amount of mud from the raw water intake was removed.
Upon completion of the additional phases of the programme in 2016, customers of Four Miles, Five Miles, Carabese Hill and Bydarabo can anticipate 24 hours of service, the GWI release said.
