Windsor Forest/Canal No.1 pump stations 80% complete

SAMAROO Investments’ construction of two new pump stations at Windsor Forest and at Canal Number One are 80 per cent complete, contractor Doodnaught Samaroo disclosed to this publication via telephone late yesterday.

The Guyana Chronicle paid an early morning visit to the construction site at Windsor Forest last week Tuesday and discovered only a watchman present, who granted this reporter access on the construction site.

Speaking with Contractor Samaroo, this publication was told that Samaroo Investments was last year awarded the contracts in Canal Number One and at Windsor Forest at costs of $120,000,000 and $164,000,000 respectively. The work, which included construction of two pump stations at the two locations, is to alleviate flooding and to mitigate the presence of excessive amounts of water at the two locations when the koker cannot be opened.

The contractor said that the with the exception of minor works which have to be done at the two locations, the works are very close to being wrapped up. He said that the deadline date is set for November, but providing the weather is favourable the projects can be ready and handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture by October.

The initial completion date for the two projects had to be shifted to accommodate changes in the size of the pumps which were to be installed, because the contractor had been unable to source the originally specified pumps (smaller pumps) from India, and had been forced to turn to the United States for the sourcing of the pumps. (Bigger Pumps)

At Canal Number One, there would be the instillation of a smaller pump compared to the one which will be installed at Windsor Forest. The pump at Canal Number One would transmit water through the channels to the facility at Windsor Forest, which would dump same into the Atlantic Ocean.

The pumps would be protected by pre-fabricated housing at the two locations which, were all done by the very contractor. Samaroo told this publication that he has 26 workers engaged at the two construction sites

With respect to the setbacks, Samaroo said that, in addition to the weather, additional works had to be done at the two locations to facilitate the new specifications of the new pumps, which are larger than the pumps which were initially supposed to be sourced from India.

Among the works were the broadening of the pump basin at both locations and the additional depth to accommodate the foot of the pumps.

On Monday night, workers completed the casting of the pump basin at Canal Number One. Among the other works to be done at the location are the building of revetments and outlets to the canals to connect to the koker wings. In addition, there is the construction of a small culvert which has to be constructed, all being referred to as minor works by the contractor.

At Windsor Forest, engineers would be testing the seating accommodation for the large pump, and once that test is successful, moves would begin to have the pump installed and the housing erected.

The testing is expected to be done within the next seven days, the contractor assured.

At this particular location there were issues with the soil, since because the construction site is so close to the ocean, there was slush and water which came up from beneath in large volumes, compared to the location at Canal Number One that in essence did contribute to the setback in the work at the seaside location.
At both Canal Number One and Windsor Forest, there are kokers which would not be demolished but remain to act as supports for the pumps when the need arises at the locations. At Windsor Forest also, the mobile pump had to be shifted several metres down from the construction site after the bigger pumps were acquired.

This was necessary since, according to the contractor, they had to dig wider and deeper to accommodate the bigger pump, and the mobile pump was in the path and would have collapsed.

(By Leroy Smith)