Five new water treatment plants to be constructed as gov’t secures US$76.2M CDB loan

Access to treated water will significantly improve on the coast following the approval of a US$76.2 million loan agreement by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to the Government of Guyana for the Guyana Water Supply Improvement Project.

The initiative includes the construction of five new water treatment plants in Bush Lot, Tain to No. 50 Village, Walton Hall to Charity, Wakenaam, and Leguan Island.

According to a recent press release from the financial institution, the project aims to improve the quality and reliability of the water supply for an estimated 15,000 households within the communities.

The project is one of the first to be carried out under CDB’s Guyana Country Engagement Strategy (2023-2025) and will support the government’s efforts to increase access to treated water on the coast by 90 per cent by the year 2025.

It is scheduled to commence in March 2024 and will be implemented over a three-year period.

The new treatment plants are part of the 13 expected to be constructed across the country as the government seeks to increase access to treated water on the coast

in accordance with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standard.

In October last year, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) signed three contracts totalling $8.5 billion for the construction of seven new water treatment plants.

These plants will be located in Onderneeming, Region Two; Parika, Wales, Lust-en-rust, and Caledonia, Region Three; Cummings Lodge and Bachelor’s Adventure, Region Four.

Meanwhile, $6 billion is also being expended to upgrade treatment plants in communities including Mon Repos, Better Hope, Grove/Friendship, Covent Garden, Eccles, New Amsterdam, Port Mourant, Cotton Tree, Vergenoegen, Fellowship, and Pouderoyen.