Sand Creek & six other Region 9 villages to get upgraded water systems
Sand Creek
Wednesday, March 6, 2019: Georgetown, Guyana – One hundred and forty eight (148) students of the Sand Creek Secondary School dormitory will be relieved of fetching water, following a commitment by the Guyana Water Incorporated to look at alternatives to provide water to the facility. One option is to channel water from a nearby creek as an interim measure, after a water quality test is completed. GWI is also working to activate a new well that was drilled through a joint initiative with GWI and the Pan American Health Organization.
These solutions were derived during community meetings with village leaders and residents at the weekend of March 2&3, 2019.
A permanent solution will be the addition of four storage tanks along with pipelines, which will be laid some 1300 meters from the tanks to the dorms. The school’s distribution network will also be redesigned to allow for an adequate water supply throughout the school compound.
Managing Director Dr. Richard Van West-Charles told the gathering that GWI will collaborate with the Regional Executive Officer to address plumbing issues at the sanitary blocks at the health center and the school.
Shiriri
The Community of Shiriri consists of 104 residents, who reside in scattered clusters, with two hand pump wells, one of which has been non-functional for approximately four years. Their hand dug wells however, become contaminated when it rains. Residents also access water from a creek that gets dry regularly.
GWI will work to ensure all solar panels and pumps are functional so as to adequately supply the community. The company will also work to reactivate a defective well and correct the plumbing at the school’s sanitary block.
Rupunau
In Rupunau, the possibility of drilling a well will be explored, since previous attempts proved futile due to heavy rock formation within the community. GWI is moving to access a rig that will go beyond the rocks to drill the new well, as has been done in Sand Creek.
A camera inspection, resistivity logging, a pump test and installation of solar panels will also be undertaken.
Meriwau
The functionality of the current pump will be looked at as well as other means of improving water access, in collaboration with the RDC.
Shulinab
Shulinab, which has a population of approximately 800 residents, depend on hand pumps and hand dug wells within clusters. These sources, however, go dry during droughts or get contaminated during rainy seasons. GWI has assured residents that it will pump test an existing well to determine its production capacity. Once this is found to be adequate, a distribution network will be installed to ensure there is water security among households in the South Pole area and other parts of Shulinab.
Residents also noted that the health center, hot meal program, school and 15 households rely on water from one source, which has proven to be inadequate. In this regard, GWI intends to work with the Ministry of Education, Indigenous Peoples Affairs and the Regional Democratic Council to address same.
Quiko
GWI will upgrade the existing pipe network in Quiko to extend distribution lines to households west of the village, since they are currently not benefitting from the existing water system. The company will also explore the possibility of drilling a new well for water security purposes. To ensure maintenance of these systems, GWI will train two persons from the community who have been identified by the village council as Service Men.
Potarnau
With approximately 613 persons residing in the village of Potarnau and an inadequate water supply, GWI is making provisions to ensure an improved service.
GWI will add four more storage tanks to the existing four that have proven to be insufficient, as well as test pump the well for production capacity and conduct training for service men.
It was revealed that an existing well has previously been contaminated; as such GWI will be disinfecting the well and taking monthly samples for water quality analysis.
Since the latter part of January to date, GWI has visited 33 communities in Region 9 and logged 12 wells. Works are also underway for the installation of distribution networks in Deep South in eight communities, water quality testing, mapping of the communities and well development among other things.