Press Release: Govt to make drinking water more accessible

– Commissions one of a kind modern surface water treatment plant in Bartica

His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali said that the Ministry of Aviation and Public Utilities must ensure that within the next 12 months water consumed locally is also produced here.

The President said this forms part of his Government’s overarching plan not only to develop an optimisation strategy for Guyana’s water resources, but also to deliver a modernised water sector that provides clean and reliable water to every citizen.

The Head of State spoke at the commissioning of the new state of the art Five Miles Bartica Water Treatment Plant in Region Seven (Cuyuni–Mazaruni) on Saturday.

Elaborating on his vision of ensuring Guyana produces all of its own high-quality drinking water, the President said there must be collaboration between Government and the private sector to build capability and capacity at every level.

“We have to look at all the verticals and see how we can achieve economies of scale at every level to bring down the cost of water.”

The President reasoned that the cost of a bottle of water could be reduced.

“A country that is known as the land of many waters could have the cheapest water available to its people.”

The President also spoke extensively about harnessing the potential of the country’s freshwater resources.

“We are also aware that water is an economic commodity, and many studies point to a global recession of water in decades to come. We now have to work with the IWRM principles to develop an optimisation plan for our total water asset, and how that asset can be deployed to maximise value.”

Speaking about the new Bartica Plant, the President said the investment of more than $600m into the Region reflects his Government’s belief in the people of Region Seven and its potential.

The plant is the first surface water treatment facility in Guyana and is expected to serve more than 6,000 residents in the Four to Seven Miles area of Bartica.

“Clean water is not a luxury. It is life. It is health in every glass. It is dignity in every household. It is security for every child. When treated water flows 24 hours a day, hope flows with it. When a community no longer worries about the safety of its supply, it can focus on growth, education and opportunity. Water is the first building block of development — because without water, nothing else works.”

The President said this is how life is made better for all Guyanese — not with promises but with pipes in the ground and water in the taps.

“Clean water is the equaliser. Clean water is empowerment. Clean water is nation building in its purest form.”

The President also spoke about other developmental works that Bartica, and Region Seven by extension, has undergone under his Government’s stewardship. These include the new Bartica Stelling, the development of housing and other infrastructure in several areas, and investment in the health sector, including the new Bartica Regional Hospital, among others.