Governments, bilateral and multilateral donors have been engaged for decades in projects to expand access to safe water supply and sanitation, and yet over a billion people in developing countries are still forced to rely on inefficient, remote, inadequate or contaminated water sources.

Here too in Guyana we have had a history of potable water supply problems in different parts of the country and many of these problems were compounded because of the fact that nothing tangible was done to improve the situation during the many years of economic stagnation. Consequently, the situation deteriorated steadily to a virtual state of collapse and it was a regular sight in those days in many communities to see children forced to be away from school to fetch water for long distances for domestic consumption.

However, on assuming office in 1992 the current administration paid special attention to the water woes of the nation and began almost immediately to formulate policies and programmes aimed at revamping the potable water supply system. In this regard, the administration has been very successful in enlisting the support of the donor community and international financial institutions. This kind of support is essential because the cost of installing modern water supply systems is enormous.

And so today there are several ongoing programmes, apart from those that have already been completed, and many others which are on the drawing board which are all geared to dramatically improve the potable water supply system to acceptable standards throughout the country.

The recent initiation of phase two of a project to improve water supply in Region 6 which will see a state of the art water treatment plant come into operation at Queenstown, Corriverton is another example and testimony of major efforts that are underway to overhaul the local water sector.

Funded through a Government of Japan grant aid scheme, the plan is designed to improve the quality of service provided to residents between Number 51Village and Moleson Creek and is divided into two phases.

The first phase was the Number 56 Water Treatment Plant, successfully completed in March 2008 at a cost of $1.1 billion and benefitting 23 villages from Number 51 through Number 73. It is part of the Guyana Government’s dedication towards modernising the sector and providing safe potable water.

The government, in 2004, recognising the need to upgrade the quality of potable water supply, indicated its plans to the Japanese Government and it was decided that two water treatment plants would be between Number 51 and Moleson Creek.

According to Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali, the government has invested some $3 billion in the development of the water sector in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) over the last five years.

While there is still a long way to go before the water sector attains the desired quality of service to citizens the efforts by the government so far have been undoubtedly commendable.

However, one of the areas which need to be looked at a bit more closely is the management of the water utility GWI. The attitude and response of some management personnel leaves to problems being experienced by consumers in many cases leaves much to be desired.

Another area which also needs greater attention is the wastage of water. There are far too many cases of broken or leaking mains and taps being left open or worse yet consumers not having taps attached to their supply lines which are left unattended to for long periods.

Efforts shout be intensified to get over the message that while water is freely available in Guyana the costs of extracting, purifying and transmitting it are very high and therefore is not “free” as some are wont to believe. In this regard, in might be useful for the GWI to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to include in the curriculum of schools the need for conservation of water and the negative consequences of wastage of this vital commodity.