Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has increased the capacity of nearby well stations in a bid to get water to residents of Diamond, East Bank Demerara and surrounding areas, who have been enduring a disruption in service.
As a result of a ruptured well casing at the Diamond pump station, the water supply to the Diamond and Kaneville communities was disrupted. GWI last week announced that a meeting was set up with several experts to find a solution, while tanker trucks would be deployed to the areas to deliver water to affected residents.
GWI Public Relations Officer Timothy Austin said yesterday that the water company was still trying to repair the well.
“Our technical team is working on that and we don’t have a specific timing at the moment but as we have said before we are engaging some experts on the correct path to take in order to get the well station working as soon as possible,” Austin said.
Stabroek News learnt that one of the walls of the well had ruptured, which was causing mud to enter the water supply. “They [GWI technical team] are still looking at the rupture of the well casing and there is a camera inspection that is going on. They are clearing the mud…,” Austin said, while adding that they believe the well can be repaired. The priority, he said, is to remove the clay and then to sanitise the well.
When Stabroek News visited the well station yesterday, it was still covered in mud and there were no signs of ongoing work.
Austin stated that as a result of the disruption, GWI has increased the capacity of nearby well stations. “We have increased it at Covent Garden, Eccles and Grove in order to get some extra water into Diamond. So, some persons should be receiving water via the taps but not at the regular service they are accustomed to,” Austin added.
When asked about the outcome of the meeting that was convened between GWI and the experts, Austin stated that they have not yet come up with a solution. “There is going to be a series of meetings because they are trying to find out the best way forward. No decision has been made yet,” he said.
When asked whether building a new well station would be a plausible option, Austin stated that they are considering all options. “They are looking at all those options and that’s why we brought in all those contractors,” he added.
The well was commissioned in 2009 and was constructed by Water and Oil Well Service Company Limited for $55 million.
Austin said they have made contact with the previous contractors to see how best they can advise on the next course of action.
Meanwhile, Austin said that in addition to increasing the capacity of the neighbouring well stations, GWI has other ongoing activities that are aimed at providing the residents of Diamond with relief.
But up to yesterday many Diamond residents said they were still unable to access water and have been forced to use their limited water resources with extreme caution.
“I actually saw one of the tankers today and it’s not like they giving you a lot of water. They telling you to come and full some lil buckets and that’s it. It is something but how is that supposed to do anything?” one of the residents of Diamond questioned.
GWI has implemented a schedule where the water tankers would deliver water to Diamond and Kaneville. Yesterday it upgraded the schedule for Diamond and will now deliver water between 9 am to 8 pm from 5th Avenue to 21st Avenue. It also added that delivery will continue after 8 pm to accommodate those residents who were not at home during the scheduled delivery. Austin said that they currently have three tankers and a tractor with two black tanks delivering water with help from the fire service and the Civil Defence Commission.
Residents have complained about the timing. They noted that the tanker was starting too late as most of them would leave their homes before 7 am. Some of them had even complained about not seeing the tankers.
