Having endured a scorching drought up to May this year, Region Nine is expected to have 25 new wells by the end of the year, the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) says.
According to a GINA press release, Ramchand Jailal, GWI’s Executive Director for Infrastructure and Planning, said that eight of the wells are being undertaken by GWI in collaboration with the Region Nine Administration. A similar number will be sunk by the Brazilian Army, while five will be drilled by the Caribbean Development Bank-funded Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and four others will be done through the Regional Democratic Council of Region Nine.
Jailal said that with regards to the first eight wells, GWI entered into an agreement with the region for a Brazilian contractor to undertake the drilling due to El Nino weather conditions encountered in the region in 2015 and earlier this year. Under this programme, two wells have since been completed, one at Rupertee and another at Wowetta, while six wells are to be drilled in the communities of Aranaputa, Kwaimatta, Marcanata, Kumu, Potarinau and Shulinab in the latter half of 2016, the release stated.
According to the release, the Brazilian Army is collaborating with the Civil Defence Commission. to commence drilling of the wells in September, and will be working in the South and Deep South in the eight communities of Shea, Maruranau, Awarenau, Aishalton, Karaudaranau, Meriwau Achiwib and Parabara villages. In addition, the neighbouring country’s army will also be providing the equipment and material for the drilling of the wells. He explained that GWI would be meeting the administrative cost.
Meanwhile, the BNTF will be drilling wells at Apoteri, Tiger Pond, Crash Water and Semonie, the release stated. Only four of five locations were named in the GINA release.
The regional administration will drill wells at Massara, Quiko, Taushida and Annai.
Additionally, GWI will also be establishing an office in Lethem where the water company will have an engineer to operate and monitor the water supply system in the region full-time.
