DURING the first half of this year, government expended $419M of the $2B that was budgeted for the water sector to improve access to water, as well as the quality of water supplied to citizens of Guyana according to the Mid-Year Report 2012.
The main objectives of the sector continue to be ensuring increased coverage, improving quality of water supplied, improving efficiency and reducing losses in the production and distribution of potable water.
During the reviewed period, one borehole was completed in Onderneeming, Region Two (Charity/Supenaam) and will be activated in the third quarter of the year.
Works to upgrade the water supply system in West Watooka and Christianburg, Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) are about 95 percent completed, while contracts have been awarded for works at Richmond Hill, Wisroc and Canvas City.
The Energy Efficiency Pilot Project is currently ongoing and was 40 percent completed at mid-year.
This project addresses the need to improve energy use within Guyana Water Incorporated’s (GWI’s) facilities through the installation of energy efficient devices. A pilot exercise using 12 pumping stations to assess potential means of saving energy is ongoing and the monitoring of these stations is expected to be completed in the third quarter of the year.
Meanwhile, according to the report, in keeping with Government’s mandate to develop hinterland communities and improve the quality of life of the indigenous people, contracts were awarded to install 10 photovoltaic systems, upgrade five existing water supply systems and construct medium depth boreholes. These works are expected to be completed within the second half of the year.
In the upcoming half of the year, it is expected that upgrades to the Rose Hall, Region Six (East Berbice Corentyne) and Fellowship/Pouderoyen, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) Water treatment plant systems will be completed; while the laying of transmission mains in Providence to Mocha, Eccles to Providence and Bush Lot to Eversham will be completed in the final quarter of the year.