Addressing rumours that their recent intervention to provide water access in Region 9 communities will carry a cost for residents, the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) has stated that no immediate plans are in place to charge for the services.
GWI, in a release, yesterday stated that because there are no immediate plans, customers were never informed of any impending costs. Their recent interventions in the north, south and central Rupununi communities, the company pointed out, were done in keeping with President David Granger’s call for equity between the coastland and hinterland.
It was noted that Dr. Van West-Charles, along with senior company officials, have already visited 33 Region 9 communities, where inconsistencies in the quality and access to potable water were observed. GWI sought to improve residents’ potable water access in the areas, where they had observed deficiencies such as the lack of productivity of hand-dug wells, compromised water quality, faulty infrastructure, design flaws of water systems and the need for additional water sources and storage tanks, well maintenance, construction of trestles, leaks to be fixed and repair works to be done on solar panels.
The company has already completed drilling wells in Aishalton, Sand Creek, Kanuku, St. Ignatius and Karasabai, and is in the process of installing Photovoltaic Systems to pump water to the communities, improving productivity and increasing storage capacity of wells, water quality testing and constructing trestles.
“Dr. Van West-Charles has on numerous occasions noted that as a physician, he sees as priority, the need for water access in facilities such as health posts and schools. At the same time, he has stressed the importance of water access at facilities such as bakeries and cassava factories, hot meal hubs, farms and more to promote economic activities,” the release stated.
