Hackney, Friendship residents benefiting from $22.5M potable water wells

Residents of Hackney and Friendship along the Pomeroon River in Region Two are now benefitting from potable water after two wells totalling $22.5 million were commissioned in the area on Friday.

The well at Friendship, which cost $12 million, is serving approximately 90 per cent of the community. Also, the community at Hackney is benefiting at least 60 per cent of that population. It is estimated to cost a total of $10.5 million.

While reminiscing, one of the residents of Friendship, Gordon Johnson noted that it was quite expensive before for residents to go to other areas to access clean and treated water.

“We feel really good about the well. Before, a lot of residents had to go till to the creeks or even till in Charity to get water, especially during the dry season,” the man stated.

Now, they can easily access treated water as standpipes were also installed around the community to complement the wells.

Additionally, Motley Boyaan stressed that the well would be a great change for the community since the residents were once accustomed to salt water.

“For the 36 years I live here, it was salt water all the time. From today onwards we can have treated water. Now, we could bathe and wash while getting water right by our steps,” Boyaan said.

For the overseer of the Moruca/Providence Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Althia Jiles, some of her concerns have been lifted as she previously received calls and complaints from residents about not being able to access water to go about their daily duties.

“As the overseer of this area, this is a huge relief. I am so happy and grateful because getting a call from residents, saying that they don’t have fresh water, used to stress me out. So, having this well means that my residents now have access to clean and fresh water for all purposes,” the overseer explained

Meanwhile, commissioning the well, the Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues said that the government continues to achieve its goal of ensuring that persons within the hinterland areas have access to clean and treated water.

“We have been able to deliver this well in a very short time. I believe it was in February when I came and we had just begun work here. These communities desperately needed wells at that time not only because of the dry season but because there was no network for people to receive portable water,” the minister posited.

According to the Executive Director of Hinterland Services at Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Ramchand Jailall, by the end of 2024, at least 10 more water systems will be added along the Pomeroon River.

The Friendship Well was drilled to a depth of 78 metre with the installation of 26 service connections, while the one at Hackney saw 30 service connections being installed.

To ensure the system functions sufficiently, the in-house team at GWI also installed solar and solar frames for the Photovoltaic (PV) panels.