Water filters for hinterland homes, schools, health facilities
GINA, GUYANA, Wednesday, November 9, 2016
The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has announced plans to put water filters in homes, schools and health facilities, as part of an effort to address water supply woes in hinterland and riverine communities.
A filter removes impurities from water by means of a fine physical barrier, a chemical process or a biological process.
GWI officials pose with teachers and students of Karrau Creek Primary School who received water filters
Addressing the media at a press conference today at GWI’s Shelter Belt, Vlissengen Road, GWI’s Director Dr. Richard Van-West Charles explained that the water company is working with the regional authorities in Regions One, Seven and Nine to ensure supply and access to safe drinking water for those communities that currently do not have safe access to the service.
Dr. Van- West Charles explained that, “Many of the communities, many of their health facilities, and their schools, are taking water from rivers, and that water is contaminated.”
The director said that as the water company is working to find sustainable solutions to address these communities’ water woes, in the interim, it has begun to purchase water filters for distribution to schools, health centres and hospitals.
“We are distributing the filters so that they can use them and ensure that the water they drink is safe. We are looking to provide these filters, whilst we look at having more funds to have wells available for the distribution within these communities,” Dr. Van-West Charles said.
The filters being sourced are ones that “we know work,” and ones that “remove 100 percent bacteria, fungi and viruses.” The filters are tested and used internationally by several organisations, and at one time, in Haiti, Dr. Van- West Charles said.
GWI has thus far distributed water filters in Kamarang, Region Seven. This community recently suffered from a diarrhoeal outbreak. It was suspected that the river water that is used by the residents for drinking and domestic purposes was contaminated.
By: Macalia Santos