$1.35B Wales Water Treatment Plant commissioned

– to transform water access, quality for 16,000 residents

The massive $1.35 billion water treatment plant commissioned on Sunday in Wales, Region Three, will significantly transform the lives of 16,000 residents along the West Bank of Demerara through access to treated water.

This treatment facility is one of three planned for Region Three under the government’s Coastal Water Treatment Infrastructure Programme (CWTIP).

Constructed by Hipro Ecologicos, with local partners S Jagmohan Construction, the plant is designed to treat 8 million litres of water per day (MLD) that will be supported by three wells. It is sufficient to meet the demands of the population.

Communities like Bell West, Goed Intent, Sisters, Patentia, Vriesland, Vive la Force and Free and Easy will benefit from this massive facility.

The plant incorporates advanced technological systems to ensure high standards of water quality, while sensors have been employed to monitor pressure, flow, and turbidity, providing precise real time data.

President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali joined hundreds of residents at Wales for the official commissioning ceremony, which he described as a momentous occasion for Region Three.

He said this development reflects the government’s vision of hope, dignity, and progress compared to the previous administration’s track record of broken promises, lack of vision and economic hardships.

He said with this single investment, the government is investing $400,000 per household.

“This is a story of vision versus lack thereof. This is a story of respect versus callousness.  This is a story of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic forces.  The rest, and I say the rest because many of them are captured in the umbrella of indignity,” the president stated.

He underscored the government’s efforts in housing development, with over 1,000 homes built or being built in the region, creating employment for approximately 5,000 individuals.

The government has also invested nearly $90 billion in housing alone within Region Three.

President Ali urged residents to recognise the improvements being made, encouraging them to remain vigilant and reject those who attempt to mislead them.

Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal also delivered remarks pointing out that access to clean, treated water as a universal right has guided the government’s bold investments to modernise and expand the water sector.

“For far too long communities have faced the challenge of accessing safe, reliable water. But under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, we have worked unceasingly to correct years of neglect and to bring real change to our people,” the minister stated.

In the last four and a half years, Region Three has benefitted from substantial investments in the water sector, amounting to $7.6 billion. This has benefitted around 89,000 persons.

Additionally, a total of 35 coastal wells have been drilled, with nine of those located in Region Three.

GWI’s Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh, informed the audience that the Wales Water Treatment Plant’s design is scalable, allowing for future expansions to accommodate a growing population.

Baksh highlighted GWI’s remarkable success in achieving high water quality standards with the new Wales treatment facility. For instance, the plant has achieved an impressive 0.1 mg per litre of iron content, surpassing the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standard of 0.3 mg per litre.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman, Inshan Ayube applauded the Dr Ali-led administration for its unwavering commitment to development, particularly within his region.

Under the CWTIP programme, the government is constructing seven new large water treatment plants, 18 small plants and is upgrading 12 existing plants.

Additionally, 200KM of transmission mains are being installed to improve water quality, continuity of service and level of service in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six.

This billion-dollar investment is part of the government’s broader strategy to improve treated water coverage along the coast from 52 per cent (in 2020) to at least 90 per cent by the end of 2025.