$20M water system commissioned at Kwebanna, Region One

A $20 million water supply system was commissioned in Kwebanna, Region One, providing potable water access to 95 per cent of the community, a significant improvement from the mere 10 per cent with access before 2023.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal officially commissioned the water system during an outreach to the Moruca Sub-District on Sunday.

The water system consists of a 34-metre-deep well drilled by the Guyana Water Incorporated’s (GWI) in-house team using a recently acquired Pat Rig.

Additional work included the installation of a distribution network, photovoltaic pumping system, storage system, and perimeter fence. The works were overseen by the village under the supervision of GWI.

For the 22 households on the outskirts of the village that are not connected to the main water system, Minister Croal has committed to providing tanks for rainwater harvesting by the end of the month.

The project is a crucial component of GWI’s five-year strategic plan aimed at achieving 100 per cent water coverage for hinterland and riverine communities by 2025.

The minister noted that upon taking office in 2020, Region One had a water coverage of just 43 per cent. However, by 2022, he reported that the coverage had increased to 75 per cent.

“With the plans that we have for this year alone, we will be moving to about a minimum of 80 per cent,” he told the residents.

Other communities to benefit from new water systems include Wauna, Kamwatta, and Haimacabra.

According to the minister, these interventions are a reflection of a dedicated government that fulfills promises and prioritises people’s welfare.  

“When you ask what we are doing with the resources from the Oil and Gas sector, that is how we are distributing it, to ensure social services are taken care of,” he underscored.

With 900 residents now benefitting from water access, Ramchand Jailall, GWI’s Hinterland Services Director, encouraged the community to safeguard the project for its lasting benefit.

This year, the government has allocated $1.4 billion to drill wells and set up water distribution networks in the hinterland region.