The new US$6M Liliendaal pump station is progressing smoothly.
The new site is near Pump Road and opposite the current station.
This project is expected to boost the drainage capacity in several flood-prone areas and is slated to be completed by April 2024. In an interview with this newspaper, Project Engineer, Larry Carryl revealed that the pile foundation for the pump is currently being built and will be connected to different channels. He also said that the pump will capture water from as far as Ogle since their basins are connected with those in Liliendaal.
“We envision that the pump will significantly reduce the drainage problem in the communities. It is not going to solve flooding in Georgetown, however the government is looking to invest more in these expansion projects”, he stated.
It was also noted that in an effort to better assist with drainage in the entire Turkeyen area, extending as far as Sophia and even some sections in the South Ruimveldt area, the pump will feature its own drainage pipeline which will lead water straight to the Atlantic Ocean. This pipe will be run underground from the pump road area straight across to the ocean.
The project which is being undertaken by General Engineering Supplies forms part of the Guyana Flood Risk Management Projects which was funded by the World Bank through the Agriculture Sector Development Unit’s Sustainable Agricultural Development Project (ASDU-SADP).
In addition to the building of the new pump, rehabilitation works are also taking place on the aged Liliendaal pump station as well as construction of stainless steel sluice doors along with two mobile pumps to aid in the drainage of water in the Ogle catchment area. According to the National Drainage Authority (NDIA), pumps will also be built in Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara, Pouderoyen, Belle West and in areas on the East Bank of Demerara. (Deneita Fredericks)
