67 percent of communities accessed potable water
A GINA feature
FOR almost two decades, the PPP/C administration has been working to ensure that all Guyanese, regardless of their location, have access to basic resources provided by government inclusive of education, health, water and housing. The year 2011 can be described as one of consolidation and fruition of government’s plans for the water sector, which yielded the completion of infrastructure as effected by Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).
Over the past five years, over $600M was spent on the improvement of water supply in the hinterland communities, and in 2011, communities in Regions 1, 2, 6, 8 and 9 were equipped with boreholes, photovoltaic systems and elevated storage facilities. To date, over  55,000 people have benefited from government interventions and 67 percent of the nation’s population has access to potable water, through the installation of photovoltaic pumping systems, new trestles and the sinking of more wells and bore holes.

Coastal supply
The water supply on the coastland was improved as nearly 40 kilometres of distribution mains were installed through an investment of $220M, which facilitated an upgrade in the level of service for more that 60,000 people.
Seventeen kilometres of transmission mains were installed, bringing service improvement to approximately 30,000 people at a cost of $90M.
Over 3,000 service connections were installed or upgraded at a cost of nearly $10M, and brought a new and improved service to 10,000 people.
A total of $530M was spent in 2011 on new wells. Four others are being drilled at Tabatinga, Lethem, Rose Hall, Berbice, and Manchester. These will result in improved level of service for more than 60,000 people. The total investment in these wells will be approximately $400M, and they will be commissioned later this year.

Sanitation
Beginning with the Georgetown Sanitation Improvement Programme Loan from the International Development Bank (IDB), part of this US$12M has been disbursed for the installation of force mains, riser mains, and the rehabilitation of sewer stations, as well as for the modernisation of the water distribution system in Region 4.
Under the Georgetown sanitation project, the contract has been awarded for the supply of high density polyethylene pipes, while evaluation is ongoing for the rehabilitation of the sewer system which is expected to commence in early 2012.

Linden Water
Nearly 13 kilometres of distribution transmission mains were completed in Linden, along with more than 300 new service connections, benefitting approximately 5,000 people.
The Linden Water Supply Rehabilitation Programme, jointly funded by the Government of Guyana and the IDB, will be implemented over the next three to five years, from an investment of US$12M. This will see two new water treatment plants, replacement of transmission and distribution mains, and installation of district metered areas for the Linden area.
Works are ongoing, and when completed, this enterprise will see the improvement of social services, the creation of jobs and the establishment of more businesses.   

Hinterland Water Strategy
With the population growth rapidly increasing in hinterland communities, so too was the demand for water; added to that, many residents are moving away from the use of pit latrines to flush type toilets.
The Hinterland Water Strategy has been pivotal in implementing projects from Regions 1 to 10, in response to these new dynamics. Some of these were the construction of trestles, bore holes, the installation of photovoltaic systems, elevated water storage facilities, hand pumps and rainwater catchments in Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9.
The hinterland interventions in 2011 have resulted in new and improved service and standard of living for more than 20,000 people. Six new bore holes were completed, while two are currently being drilled. The contract is in place for the drilling of another four within the next three months.
Seventeen new photovoltaic systems were successfully installed, and the installation of an additional nine is ongoing, which will see 29 new photovoltaic systems installed in hinterland communities.
Fourteen elevated storage facilities were completed. Four distribution systems were installed, and work is ongoing for completion of the final one.
In 2011, six new bore holes were completed in Port Kaituma, Arakaka and Kwebanna in Region 1, Siriki in Region 2, and Karasabai and Tiger Pond in Region 9.
In addition, 17 new photovoltaic water systems were installed in Kwebanna village and school, 4 Miles, Falls Top, Baramita and Kariako in Region 1; Siriki, Kaicumbay, Hackney, Marlborough in Region 2;  Micobie in Region 8, Quatata, Kaicumbay, Meriwau, Shiriri and Kwaimatta in Region 9, and Sandhill in Region Ten.
Fourteen elevated storage facilities were also completed in Regions 1, 2, 8 and 9.
This intensified drive by the government to afford Guyanese access to quality water, including those residing in hinterland areas, saw the percentage of beneficiaries increased, resulting in the promotion of healthier lives and improvement in economic activities
Against this background, the ministry in 2011 also installed four distribution systems in Mahdia, Region 8; Orealla, Region 6; Hururu, Region 10 and Kewbanna, Region One. 
Access to potable water under this administration has moved from 20 to 45 percent, and will continue to rise as the government seeks to move from 45 percent to 75 percent access by 2015.

Future plans
Plans are being made for a Profit Centre, which will be producing its own bottled water by the end of the first quarter next year. Focus will be placed on the conservation of water through the GWI’s education component. 
Work will be done with the Ministry of Education on the inclusion of a specific targeted curricula dealing with this issue. Operation efficiency, working on the continuous reduction of energy consumption, will all be examined. To be focused on also, will be cost reduction, improving revenue base, and working towards continued subsidies to ensure that water remains a social good, while the economic value of the product is not lost.
While finance has always been of concern and there are various methods to ensure that people understand the importance of water as a social good, an economic implication, the ministry is looking at a plan that would see it break even in three years.
Water rates collection will be enforced while new models in the tariff structure will be examined, such as giving incentives to persons who conserve.