GWI, Consultants brief IDB President on progress of Diamond Water Treatment Plant
Ministry of Communities, Press Release – Tuesday, March 12, 2019
The construction of the Diamond Water Treatment Plant, which is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the European Union, is 67% complete and IDB President Mr. Luis Alberto Moreno was on Monday briefed on works carried out to date.
Mr. Moreno, who is on an official visit to Guyana, toured the site on Monday, March 11, 2019, following a simple programme hosted by the Guyana Water Inc, together with its consulting and contracting firms Hydro Plan and Sino Hydro respectively.
Managing Director of GWI, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles posited that the project in question has been well monitored to date, explaining that “We’ve had about 15 monitoring committees, 20 portfolio meetings and two site visits and all four components are on track”.
He further explained that the Diamond WTP is on target for completion in October, 2019.
GWI believes the completion of the water treatment plants at Diamond, Uitvlugt and Sheet Anchor will auger well for persons in the serving areas, taking into consideration the improved quality of water to be received and reduction in non-revenue water expected.
Dr. Van West-Charles also highlighted the significant impact at the national level, noting that for the first time in Guyana’s history, metered customers outnumber those who are unmetered, since a requirement of the projects is to ensure customers in the serving areas are metered.
Minister of Communities Hon. Ronald Bulkan, who extended a welcome to the IDB President, expressed his satisfaction with the progress of works thus far. He said although the plant will meaningfully benefit a population of 22,000 persons, its capacity to cater for 34,000 is evidence of the impact it will have on the population.
Minister Bulkan noted that the plant will allow for an improved level of service as well as water quality for customers.
Mr. Moreno registered his satisfaction with the progress of works and thanked GWI and its partners for the efforts invested in ensuring the timely completion of the plant. He stated that potable water is essential to livelihood and the IDB is happy to support projects which will provide same.
The 67% of works completed speak to the completion of civil works for major structures such as the sedimentation tank and the filters, the building works, sludge pond and the ground storage tanks, which are almost complete.
Outstanding works include the installation of all equipment including aerators, sedimentation tank equipment and filter under-drains; all pumps, backwashing equipment and electrical, monitoring and control systems.
The treatment plant, upon completion, is expected to satisfy the World Health Organisation’s water quality parameters.