GWI to offer better service in Region Ten

GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, February 09, 2017

Residents of Region 10 can expect a better quality of water from the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), greater water pressure and overall better service. The company would be spending close to $500 million to improve its institutional capacity and service delivery in the Region.

Planning and Implementation Director, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Ramchand Jailall, said works include the decommissioning of old mains, construction of bypass mains, rehabilitation of overhead tanks, and upgrades to transmission and distribution mains.

Speaking with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Jailall explained that rehabilitation works will be completed on the McKenzie and West Watooka Water Treatment Plants which will result in improved quality of water for residents in the areas.

Jailall noted that even after the Amelia’s Ward and Wisroc Treatment Plants were constructed, there was still a demand for treated water in those areas. He said the works will help the company meet this demand.

“Because of the fact that the demand within the system is high, we are now working to refurbish the Mackenzie and West Watooka Plants, and those works are on track and scheduled to be completed by June of 2017,” the Planning and Implementation Director explained.

Jailall said GWI will also be facilitating transmission and distribution upgrade at One Mile Extension, Wisroc and Canvas City to provide new and improved services for the residents. He said that the water company will also be undertaking infrastructure works and operational improvements in Ituni.

The Ituni water system has deteriorated over the years. Jailall said that GWI intends to drill a new potable water well in the area to ensure a water system that is more reliable and produces water of acceptable quality. “Right now the (Ituni) system takes water from a creek, and there is risk of that creek being contaminated with mining and farming effluent and so we (GWI) want to ensure that we have a reliable source of water in Ituni and improve that service,” he explained.

Also in 2017, the company plans to do remedial works on the newly constructed Amelia’s Wards and Wisroc Water Treatment Plants. The plants were constructed in 2015 and have been experiencing operational challenges. GWI has been working to rectify the deficiencies.

Last year, GWI installed a new water distribution system in Andy Ville to provide access to potable water for more than 100 persons. New mains were also installed in Green Valley-Linden, Amelia’s Ward-Linden and Blue Berry Hill, Wismar to provide service to more than 300 persons for the first time. A new main was also installed in Amelia’s Ward across the Linden Highway to provide improved service to Cinderella City.

The GWI team also held several meetings throughout the year with the Regional Democratic Council, City Council and other stakeholders to address improvement to the water supply in Linden.

 

By:Macalia Santos