Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) Wednesday issued a call for citizens to conserve water, with the levels in the water conservancies dropping due to the prolonged dry season.Of major concern is the fact that the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) is at a critically low level. The Conservancy stores water to irrigate farmlands on the East Coast and also provides water for GWI’s Shelter Belt location in Georgetown, which supplies 60% of the city’s 35, 000 customers. The city’s other customers receive their water from various wells.

The EDWC is replenished by rainfall, but with the current dry spell, Dr Van West Charles, Chief Executive of GWI, said drainage authorities have begun collaborating to commence 24-hour pumping of water from Maduni – another surface water canal – into the EDWC.

For the city alone, water consumption, on an average, is about 60 mega litres.

In efforts to ration water usage, GWI has recommended these measures:

·         Citizens are asked to check all internal plumbing for leaks (including toilet cisterns, taps, etc.)
·         Reduce the amount of times in which you wash your car, equipment, etc with water supplied by GWI
·         desist from washing concrete surfaces (such as your yard or bridge) with water provided by GWI
·         immediately install ‘flow-valves’ in water tanks to prevent overflows
·         Contact GWI immediately to report leaks detected in your community on 227-8701, 227-8703 or 227-8704

Further, GWI is appealing to the heads and administrative staff of all schools, health facilities, hotels, food entities, etc. to ensure that all internal plumbing is operating correctly and to repair any leaks or prevent any wastage.

GWI provides water to an estimated 145,000 homes, offices and schools across the country. It also provides water to Amerindian communities in the Hinterland.

Dr Charles said the optimum level of water at Shelter Belt should be 57.5 GD or Georgetown Datum (measuring system), but the current level is 52.7 GD, which is below the dead storage level of the EDWC, which is set at 53.5 GD.

“…with this institution of additional pumping of water into EDWC, it (will) raise the level somewhat; however this requires us to be prudent and also to move into a level of conservation mode.”

Dr Charles has denied reports that GWI has reduced pumping by 50%.

The GWI CEO said: “We have not reduced the level of pumping here at Shelterbelt at all. We know that citizens at different times require more water. We want to ensure our ground level water source will be able to supply adequate amount of water.”

The demand for water is highest between 5-9 and 11:30-12:30 in the morning and between 4-8 in the afternoon.

For these peak periods, GWI wants to ensure that the water pressure will be maintained between 15 to 20 Pounds Per Square Inch (PSI), which seeks to ensure there is adequate amounts of water at certain levels in homes to carry out vital activities.

Dr. Charles said the water pressure would be reduced during off peak hours.

He said that the appeal to conserve water is not just for city but across the country.

For Region Nine, which has seen aquifers dry up, Dr Charles aid that a new well would be dug at Culvert City, Lethem, by mid-February and GWI will continue to monitor the situation.

For Georgetown, Dr. Charles said GWI is moving to ensure an additional well is drilled for sourcing ground water at Shelterbelt. The company is also seeking to rehabilitate three non-functioning wells within Shelterbelt within 2-3 months. The additional well will cost about $120 million.

There are a total of 126 wells across the country.

By Michel Outridge