Improved water supply for Sophia by year-end

Georgetown, GINA, August 11, 2016

Residents of Sophia are set to see a significant improvement in their drinking water, both in terms of supply and quality, between now and mid next year, Guyana Water Incorporated’s, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Richard Van West-Charles said.

Addressing the media at a press briefing at GWI Shelter belt office yesterday, Dr. Van West-Charles explained that the improvement for the community will be felt as soon as the end of the year as a result of several measures taken by the water company to improve water supply and water quality to the community.

According to the CEO, GWI has refurbished a well at North Ruimveldt and is in the process of installing transmission mains from that community to Sophia.

The installation of some 200 -millimetre transmission mains from North Ruimveldt to Sophia was a project valued at $8.671M that is expected to benefit approximately 2,500 residents, within the project area. This project is about 30 percent completed.

The GWI, CEO said that these interventions, along with the completion of rehabilitation of the Turkeyen well are what would result in significant improvements in water supply in the community, by the end of the year.

The other measures to be taken that would further improve water supply and quality in Sophia, by mid-2017, are the digging of two additional wells and the construction of a storage tank in the company.

Dr. Van West-Charles explained that the first well which is currently being advertised was approved by the board. The second well is being funded under another programme, the CEO said.

The storage tank will benefit more than 3000 residents and it entails the installation of 126 greenheart piles for the construction of a ground storage tank to facilitate additional storage of water for delivery to the residents of Sophia. The construction of the storage tank is a $19.376M project.