Well brings much needed relief to Capoey residents

Drilling of the well at Capoey, Essequibo Coast, Region Two, has been completed and some 200 residents there will soon be receiving potable water for the first time.

Guyana Water Inc (GWI), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaik Baksh during a recent visit to the well site, commended the GWI in-house team that completed the work within reasonable time. The well was drilled utilizing a Pat Rig acquired by GWI, earlier this year, to work in the hinterland regions.

Toshao of Capoey, Ralph Hendricks, who was at the site, watched as water flowed from the well in his community.

“This is now reality. We can see progress and we could see that you (the Government) have fulfilled your promise. I am quite certain that the ladies will be happy having water here, rather than having to go to the lake, because of the distance and hot sun. This is a plus for us,” he said with a smile.

The residents at the site also expressed similar sentiments.

Hinterland Services Director, Ramchand Jailall, who spearheaded the project, said the community has been mapped, tanks will be placed on the hilltop to obtain maximum water pressure, the connecting pipes to transmit the water are being acquired and soon these works will be completed.

GWI will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the community for the execution of some aspects of these works. Through the MoU, residents of Capoey will be employed in the laying of the pipelines as well as the fencing of the area housing the well in their community.    

These workers will be paid by the government. GWI will disburse the money to the village council, which in turn will pay the workers for their labour. At a later time, the well at Capoey will be formally commissioned by the ministers of housing and water.      

Now that the drilling of the well at Capoey has been completed, Mr Baksh has indicated that the Pat Rig will in the coming days be deployed to Pomeroon. In Pomeroon, new wells will be drilled at Wakapau, Bethany, Akawini and Karawab before this yearend.

Some 40 new wells will be drilled in the hinterland regions this year. This year, the government has also allocated some $1.4B to increase access to potable water in hinterland communities.

Over the past two years, access to potable water in the hinterland regions has increased significantly. Coverage in the hinterland has moved from 46 per cent in 2020 to 75 per cent in 2022. GWI is working to achieve 85 per cent coverage by the end of this year, 93 per cent coverage by the end of 2024 and full coverage in the hinterland by 2025.