Minister in the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, has disclosed that more than 35,000 citizens nationwide have benefitted from potable water during her government’s 3-year tenure in office.
She made this revelation on Wednesday at a press conference held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal (Greater Georgetown) which dealt with the overall performance of the water and housing sector during the period 2020 to 2023.
Rodrigues informed that the access to potable water currently stands at 97.3% for the year 2023.
“During the period 2020 to 2023, over 35,000 residents gained first-time access to potable water supply nationwide, with more than 75% belonging to the hinterland and riverain communities.”
She also noted that last year, more than 435 households along the coast benefited from first-time access in regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six,and Seven.
In addition, statistics show that water losses have been reduced from 69% in 2020 to 62% in 2023, while water meter coverage moved from 53% in 2020, to 67% at the end of 2023. According to the data, GWI (Guyana Water Inc) has successfully installed more than 55,000 meters to accurately measure consumption, aid in the conservation of water resources, and reduce non-revenue water.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, who was also present at the press briefing, outlined future developments aimed at further enhancing water access. He detailed that the government is on the brink of drilling 14 new water distribution systems on the coastland, as well as the upgrading and constructing of new water treatment plants.
Based on statistics provided to the media, GWI completed the drilling of over 60 wells.
“With the significant portion of these wells completed in the hinterlands and riverain communities, there was increased treated water coverage from 52% to 55.5% on the coast,” Croal added.
The water utility company has commenced the construction of seven new water treatment plants, the rehabilitation and upgrade of 12 existing plants, and the installation of small inline treatment systems. With these projects, the government is hoping to target an increase in treated water coverage along the coastland from 52 to 90% by the end of 2025.
“You have seven treatment plants that are under construction, you have five that are currently being tendered…That will bring us to 90% minimum by the end of 2025 for treated water,” Minister Croal reported.
This target, he said, is contingent on the implementation of the 90% treated water coverage programme, while adding, “However, we are beginning to see some changes in coverage from 52 to 55.5% at the end of 2023 due mainly to works completed in regions Four, and Six.”
Works were facilitated to upgrade and expand water treatment facilitieswith completed designs in areas such as Vergenoegen, Fellowship, Pouderoyen, Eccles, Covent Garden, Grove, Better Hope, Mon Repos, Friendship, Cotton Tree, and Port Mourant.
The completion phase is above 50%.
In 2023, $1.4 billion will be spent on the further upgrade and extension of water supply systems and the drilling of new wells in several hinterland communities in regions One, Two, Seven, Eight, and Nine.
In Region One, a new well has been completed and works are completed on the distribution system, providing access to potable water supply to 90 per cent of the community of Baramita. In Waramuri, the drilling of a new well has begun and is expected to be completed in 2024.
In Region Eight, a well is being drilled at Paramakatoi along with the extension of the distribution network and service connections to serve the community. Some 1,100 people are slated to benefit from this intervention by the end of 2024.
In Region Seven, there is the drilling of a new well at Jawalla, including the installation of a photo voltaic (PV) system, storage, distribution network and service connections to serve the left bank section of the community and extend the right bank section. Some 1463 residents benefit from this intervention. The same is intended for Quebanang, with 365 residents the beneficiaries of this project
Small Plants (Inline Systems)
The Sparendaam inline filter was placed on its base on October 6, 2023.The civil works contractor has constructed the walls and roof around the filter and is currently rendering the walls. The mechanical and electrical works for the piping and backwash pump are completed.
The commissioning team on December 17, 2023, completed the commissioning of the 2nd inline filter on December 21 of that same year.Additionally, four contracts were awarded to four companies for the procurement of fifteen (15) inline filters for sites in regions Four, Five, and Six, valued at $1.2 billion.
Notably, more than $15 billion in loans were procured, to aid the Water Supply Improvement Project which is financed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and Guyana Government. As this was done in 2023, tenders for the construction of five (5) new water treatment plants at Maria’s Delight, Wakenaam, Leguan, Bath Settlement, and Adventure,were available in December (of the same year) for submission by the end of January 2024. This massive intervention will provide more than 60,000 residents with improved water quality that meets the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines and reduce water losses in the project areas.
It was pointed out that the ministry has expended some $26 billion over the last three years to ensure access to potable and treated water for every household. And according to Minister Rodrigues, GWI is in a better position financially as it was allegedly riddled with debts and added financial losses under the David Granger-led administration.
“The company, I am pleased to report, is now in a stable and solid financial position. There is no bank overdraft, there is no outstanding debt to suppliers, we have solid bank accounts, we are constructing a new office, we have invested in the training of our employees, we have increased salaries for technical staff, we have invested in protective gear, in new rigs to drill wells in-house which saves us a lot of money, and we have been enhancing our capabilities across the sector.” She told reporters.
“We are committed to achieving increased access to potable water supply in the hinterland and riverain communities by the end of 2025. Achieving this target will produce the desired impact and outcomes at the national level of a 99% population access to potable water supply by the end of 2025,” Rodrigues declared.
