“Upping the pressure”
— Yupukari residents to benefit from improvements to water supply system
DPI, Guyana, Saturday November 23, 2019
More than 600 residents in Yupukari will benefit from improvements to their water supply system with the commissioning of a well through the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).
Director-General (DG) of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon said the $15M well, will ensure potable access to more than 40 additional households. The water, he added, will be continually tested via a recently commissioned state-of-the-art laboratory, to ensure the highest quality is supplied continuously.
Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon turning on the taps of the commissioned $15M well at Yupukari, Central Rupununi.
The 140m deep photovoltaic-powered well was constructed over two months. It also entailed the laying of pipe mains from the community’s trestle to more than 40 homes across the community.
DG Harmon described the commissioning as another step by the Coalition Government to bring development to the Central Rupununi community, located 72 miles from Lethem. Loud applause followed his announcement that the community’s residents will be trained and temporarily employed with GWI to maintain the water supply system from December 2019. These persons will eventually become permanent staff and benefit from the new minimum wage of $70,000 per month.
Toshao Russian Dorrick, expressing appreciation on behalf of the community, encouraged villagers to use the water responsibly. He also lauded the GWI’s efforts to ensure potable water supplies are maintained across the more than 600-strong community.
GWI’s Director for the hinterland, Ramchand Jailall, noted that he was able to communicate with the 57 communities via the internet, adding it was “all part of the good life.” The engineer added that salaries for the servicemen/women will be paid monthly, “every community will have one or two trained persons to ensure continuity of water supplies.”
Jailall also committed to examine a recommendation to build a second trestle to store and further boost water supplies. With a new rig, expected in 2020, he noted that more wells will be drilled resulting in more communities gaining potable water supplies.