Completed iron removal plants will benefit 23,000 people
THE construction of iron removal plants on Mandela Avenue and Sophia, in Greater Georgetown, has been completed and both factories are currently on a 14-day trial runs being conducted by the Trinidadian contractor, Universal Earth Movers Incorporated (UEM).
Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) Public Relations Officer, Mr. Timothy Austin said, once the tests eliminate operational defects, the factories will be officially handed over to the utility.
He said the one in Central Ruimveldt, on Mandela Avenue, is in operation and the beneficiary areas are East and West Ruimveldt, Shirley Field-Ridely Square, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Tucville and South Ruimveldt Gardens.
Austin said that plant was constructed at a cost of $273.6M and the one at Sophia for $241.6M, with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funding.
He explained that, presently, water is being treated by iron removal and the addition of several chemicals to make it safe for human consumption and, so far, the feedback from consumers has been favourable.
According to him, the plants will, significantly, improve quality in the city, with on site sodium hydrochloride systems to purify the water.
They will utilise a gravity filtration and backwash process, which uses less energy than other GWI facilities countrywide, Austin said.
He said, at least 23,000 residents will benefit from the joint undertaking by GWI and the IDB that provided capacity to produce up to 12 million litres of purified water daily, also for users in Lamaha Gardens, Sections ‘K’ and ‘M’ Campbellville and Prashad Nagar, all in the city.