Residents of Mahdia and Campbelltown in Region 8 can expect improvements to their water and electricity services, according to the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) and the Hinterland Electrification Company Inc (HECI).
In a letter to Stabroek News dated December 9, 2024, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) acknowledged the water supply struggles faced by residents of both communities. According to GWI’s Communications Manager, Travis Bruce, the issues stem primarily from reduced output at the Salbora Spring, which serves as the main water source for these areas. The prolonged dry season had significantly impacted the spring’s water levels, forcing GWI to implement a series of remedial works to address system leakages in the catchment area. Bruce assured residents that these repairs were nearly completed and that the catchment area would be reactivated within days, bringing much-needed relief to the affected areas.
GWI says that it has made substantial investments in drilling new wells to increase the water supply. Three new wells were drilled between 2023 and 2024, one in Campbelltown and two in Mahdia. Unfortunately, GWI noted that the geological conditions in the region had made it difficult to achieve the desired water yields from these wells. In an effort to further mitigate the situation, GWI is currently drilling a new well in D’anjou Hill, which is 40% complete and expected to be operational by the end of 2024.
Despite these efforts, the company has had to implement a sectional water delivery system to manage the limited water supply. Under this system, water is delivered to different sections of the communities on a rotating basis, though this has not been without frustration. Many residents have complained about the lack of consistency in the delivery schedule and the long periods without water.
The situation has been further complicated by frequent power outages, which affect the operation of water pumps. These interruptions have further complicated the maintenance of a reliable water service. In his letter, Bruce thanked residents for their patience and promised that GWI remains committed to both immediate and long-term solutions for the area.
Power supply in Mahdia and Campbelltown has also been a point of contention. HECI has been working to integrate a solar-diesel hybrid system to improve the reliability of electricity in the region. However, during the testing phase of this new system, there were frequent outages and disruptions, which sparked complaints from residents. In a conversation with Stabroek News on December 9, 2024, HECI CEO Horace Williams provided an update on the integration of the solar system. He explained that the outages experienced by residents were due to the system undergoing testing in conjunction with the existing diesel generators. During this phase, there were frequent interruptions as the system was fine-tuned to ensure smooth integration.
“We had to go through testing, and we had to ensure that we set and programmed everything correctly,” Williams stated. “During the testing phase, there were more outages, but the system is now beyond that phase”, he said.
Williams reassured residents that the solar system is now fully operational, and that power switching between the solar and diesel generators is seamless and automatic. He emphasized that this integration was necessary to ensure the long-term reliability and sustainability of the power supply in Mahdia and Campbelltown, both of which are reliant on the hybrid system.