GUYANA Water Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh says that the company’s customers are enjoying an improved quality of life due to strategic investments in more well stations and state-of-the-art treatment plants in communities where improved access to water is most pivotal.

Baksh was then addressing the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) during the public hearing at Tower Hotel last Wednesday for the tariff harmonization proposal.
He said further that the company’s overarching plan continues to be universal access to quality water, including hinterland areas.
Over the past five years in the coastal communities, the percentage of customers with access to potable water has increased from 71% to nearly 100%, Baksh noted.
“…  over the last five years, our Strategic Investment Programme has resulted in the construction of seven new water treatment plants to the value of $5B as well as the drilling of eighteen new well stations valued at $1.2B. Countrywide, GWI has rehabilitated distribution networks at a cost of $7B.”
Baksh also stated that in excess of $400M have been invested to rehabilitate the Sewer System in Georgetown and already the company has commenced civil works on the Georgetown Sanitation Improvement Programme which will result in over $2B being expended to improve the efficiency of the system, provide relief to customers who experience overflows and reduce diseases related to poor sanitation.

Hinterland communities
The GWI CEO pointed out that in remote hinterland communities, they have expended in excess of $600M towards the improvement of access to safe water supply over the past five years.
He said, “Our customers in Linden will soon enjoy two new state-of-the-art water treatment facilities which form part of the $2. 5B Linden Water Supply Rehabilitation Programme, which involves significant improvements to the water sector in Linden.”
Baksh added that over the past five years, in excess of 30,000 new households were issued with water service connections for the first time, a clear indication of GWI’s expanded coverage and commitment to providing improved access to potable water.

Strategic Business Plan
Baksh said that GWI is now implementing a Strategic Business Plan 2012-2016 which calls for an investment of $32.4B. The main components of the plan are as follows:
Water meter installation, DMAs, construction and upgrade of service connections; drilling of boreholes and pump system upgrades; rehabilitation of sewer infrastructure; replacement and installation of transmission mains; distribution mains replacement and installation and construction of new water treatment plants.
Meanwhile, the key objectives to be achieved are:
Improved financial viability of GWI as a result of efficiency measures and investment; programme to enhance revenue earning measures (e.g. increased meter coverage); move to 95% metering by the end of the plan period; reduction of non-revenue water to 35% by 2016; introduction of regulatory and enforcement mechanisms in the new licence to be issued and implementation of a simpler and clearer tariff structure which should be responsive to operating and capital costs.
Baksh said that the utility has implemented more effective strategic management of their finances which are on par with commercially prudent business plans of successful water and sewerage utilities.
He also highlighted that GWI continues to be guided by best practices of service provision which derive the most satisfying results for customers in the areas of customer service, energy reduction, water quality and metering.

Increased access
He noted that although GWI has expanded its coverage with new well stations and treatment plants, the company has accomplished significant reductions in energy consumption. The company is currently saving $12M per month on electricity since the implementation of its Energy Unit.
Baksh pointed out that the investments have resulted in expanded access to potable water, improved levels of service and enhanced water quality.  In fact, the population with access to treated water has increased from 26 percent to 49 percent.

GPL’s largest customer
Baksh said this progress has not been accomplished without challenges as GWI’s expanding coverage continues to result in high energy costs. The company is currently GPL’s largest customer with energy costs of $220M per month. To reduce energy consumption, GWI has engaged the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the two entities are currently partnering on a special programme.
He added that GWI is also challenged to expand the metering programme which aims to meter a higher percentage of the company’s customer base which will result in more prudent use of water by our customers, hence reducing operational costs. Projected funding for this programme is in the amount of $4.7B.
Baksh informed that another significant obstacle experienced by GWI is in reducing commercial and line losses which result in decreased revenue. This affects the level of service to customers and currently a programme which will require funding in the amount of $14.8B is being implemented by a specially assigned project team.
The objectives of the programme are procurement, installation, accurate and regular reading of meters and timely customer billings; ensuring a high collection of authorized billing consumption and installation of leakage control infrastructure, including District Metered Areas and its monitoring and evaluation; and replacement of transmission and distribution mains.