Contracts for six new water treatment plants being finalised – Min Rodrigues

As part of the government’s effort to increase treated water coverage from 52 to 90 per cent by 2025, the Ministry of Housing and Water (MOHW) is finalising contracts for the construction of six new water treatment plants across several regions.

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues relayed this during an episode of ‘The Guyana Dialogue’ aired Thursday evening.

“The other six new water treatment plants to bring it up to 13, which is required to achieve 90 per cent. We have already secured funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and we are working with them to ensure by early next year, 2023, we can go out to tender so that we can sign contracts for those six additional new water treatment plants,” the minister noted.

The intention is to construct 13 water treatment plants across several regions so that citizens can benefit from treated water.

In October, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) signed contracts totaling $8.5 billion for the construction of seven new water treatment plants in communities along the coast, benefitting approximately 181,000 residents.

Plants will be constructed in Onderneeming, Region Ten; Parika, Wales, Lust-en-rust and Caledonia, Region Three, and Cummings Lodge and Bachelor’s Adventure, Region Four. The other six contracts will see plants being constructed in Walton Hall to Charity in Region Two; Bush Lot, Region Five; and Tain to Number 50 Village, Region Six.

In addition, contracts were awarded to upgrade 12 existing water treatment plants which will in turn increase coverage, benefitting thousands of residents.

“We have also executed contracts for the upgrading of about 12 of the existing plants that can give us more coverage of treated water by extending the network from those existing treatment plants to other areas,” the minister noted.

This is in keeping with the standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO).