The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has failed to keep its promise to restore water supply to residents of ‘E’ and ‘D’ Fields, Sophia by mid-October, but its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Richard Van West-Charles said yesterday that residents should be able to have access to running water by the end of this week or by early next week.
Speaking at a press briefing in the GWI boardroom, the CEO noted that residents in the area had been without running water for quite some time, but thanks to the good work of GWI engineers, both the Turkeyen and North Ruimveldt wells have been completely rehabilitated and are now connected to the Sophia communities.
As it is, Van West-Charles stated, there is water coming from the Turkeyen Well Station, but residents have been advised not to use it as yet since, GWI has not yet completed disinfecting the water supply lines.
“It is important to disinfect the lines before water is distributed to the various households and we are in the final process of disinfecting,” he said, before adding that when complete, the restoration of water will offer much needed relief to the 20,000 residents who would have been affected.
Further, in addition to the rehabilitation of the two well stations, GWI is also working to strengthen infrastructure with an additional well in the area.
“We are about to sign a contract for the rehabilitation of Cummings Lodge and once that becomes successful, that whole corridor would be adequately served,” the CEO said.
During the period when residents had no access to running water, GWI had dispatched four trucks with 3 to 4, 450 gl black tanks of water to ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ Fields, Sophia. Each truck making at least six trips per day.
However, residents had complained that the four trucks were not able to offer the quantity of water that was needed by residents. As a result, GWI promised to boost the amount of trucks sent to distribute water to Sophia, even as it continues to adjust its schedule to facilitate those who are not at home during the day.
