4,000 residents from cluster communities to benefit from new Lusignan well

Some 4,000 residents on the East Coast of Demerara will benefit from a new $152 million water well being drilled at Lusignan.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, MP, on Tuesday visited the site where the well is being drilled at 960 feet. He was accompanied by Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Shaik Baksh.

Minister Croal said the new well will see an improved level of services to residents in Lusignan and surrounding areas including Annandale and Good Hope.

“There have been complaints over the last few months about the level of service here on the East Coast. The old well has caved in and so a new well is being dug…I am happy about this because the cluster communities will be benefitting from improved service when this is finished,” he said.

Minister Croal said the well at Lusignan is one of the many projects being undertaken in Region Four to improve access to potable water on the coast. Six additional wells will be drilled at Providence, East Bank Demerara and in communities along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

“Because of the development and expansion of our housing programme, obviously additional wells will be required to service these areas,” he noted.

Meanwhile, CEO Baksh said despite some delays in accessing materials, the work is progressing smoothly and on schedule. He said he was pleased with the work done thus far and commended the contractor for working expeditiously to complete the work in a timely manner.

“The contractor has moved very expeditiously I must say, and within under a month has already gone 960 feet down and is ready now, perhaps tomorrow to put in the casing and the screens later.”

The old Lusignan well collapsed earlier this year and numerous attempts were made to conduct repairs but to no avail. A decision was then made to drill a new well in the area.

Since then, Mr. Baksh explained that alternative arrangements were implemented to provide services to affected residents. The water company has been sourcing water from wells in Enmore, Coldingen, and the Friendship treatment plant on a rotation system.

The project is being executed by S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc.  Representative of the construction company, Mr. Suresh Jagmohan is optimistic that the company will meet the three-month contract period.

He said the project started just over a month ago and the only thing that remains is the construction of the well itself, which will begin in the new week. The additional work will be completed within a month.

Over $200 million is currently being invested to increase water service along the East Coast of Demerara.