Amid ongoing drought-like conditions and worrying low levels of water in reservoirs, the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) yesterday urged the populace to conserve water as the dry season is not scheduled to end until March.
“GWI is therefore advising that citizens across the country…immediately commence measures to conserve on the use of water,” Chief Executive Officer of GWI Dr Richard Van West-Charles told reporters yesterday during a press conference at the utility’s headquarters on Vlissengen Road.
He said while conditions are arid across the country, a special appeal is being made to residents of Georgetown since most of the city’s water is supplied from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) which currently has low levels of water.
The problem can worsen as estimated daily usage in the capital totals some 13.2 million gallons or over four billion gallons monthly. As such, GWI will initiate its own measures by reducing water pressure during off peak usage hours.
“GWI is therefore urging citizens of Georgetown to become part of the process of reducing the amount of water utilised,” Dr Van West-Charles asserted.
Stabroek News had previously reported that at GWI’s Shelter Belt location on Vlissengen Road, pumping has been reduced by more than 50 percent. Farmers across the country are also being affected.
Yesterday, it was stated that GWI will engage in a countrywide sensitisation and edification programme on the importance of water conservation and sustainability, which will be conducted through myriad mediums.
“Citizens are asked to check all internal plumbing like your toilets, pipes and so forth and in terms of overhead tanks, to install cut off or flow valves because a lot of water is lost when tanks overflow. Control the use of water when washing your cars and the amount of times. Desist from washing concrete surfaces such as your yards or bridges with water provided by GWI,” Van West-Charles advised.
“We are asking residents also to inform us if they observe leaks and so forth. Contact GWI immediately to report leaks detected in your community on telephone numbers 227-8701, 227-8703 or 227-8704,” he added.
Further, the GWI head said, the company will be implementing sensitisation exercises from the school level.
Heads and administrative staff of all schools, hotels and restaurants among other places are also being encouraged to ensure that the internal plumbing at their place of employ is in order and there are no leaks.
GWI, in collaboration with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), is currently monitoring the levels of the EDWC in an attempt to address the situation.
Van West-Charles said GWI officials would have yesterday also met with engineers and contractors as it plans to create a new water well at Shelter Belt and rehabilitate three existing wells at the facility.
Meantime, government also announced yesterday that with the forecasted prolonged dry season, Cabinet has taken a decision to have the situation strictly monitored and recommendations analysed so as to tackle the issue. This will include amped up conservation sensitisation exercises countrywide.
“Cabinet was also briefed about the persistent dry conditions across Guyana. These conditions, are part of … El Nino weather conditions affecting not only Guyana but the entire Caribbean. Nationally, Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 and 10 are facing severe shortage of water. On the coastlands, the rice and sugar crops are affected and the projection is that if there is no rain coming in a short period of time the situation can get worse,” Minister of State Joseph Harmon told reporters at his post-Cabinet press briefing.
He said the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Ministry of Agriculture are monitoring the situation and have put in place mechanisms for dealing with the shortage of water. He also urged citizens to conserve.
CDC head Chabilall Ramsarup, who was present at the media briefing, told Stabroek News that the agency has partnered with GWI to see how best the current arid conditions can be addressed.
“We normally provide assistance to GWI with water distribution and so forth but most of the times that was in the floods where there is too much water.
Now it’s different so when no water is available, we have to also find water to distribute and that is where the problem might lie…we will adjust and we will make some public advisories on water conservation and taking the message across the country in partnership with GWI,” he said.
