– works deemed satisfactory

THE Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) disclosed, last week, that civil works in regard to the first component of the Georgetown Sanitation Improvement Programme (GSIP) have been completed.Senior Project Engineer Arshad Yacoub told this publication that the priority works, which included reconstruction of force main pipelines, delivery main lines, rehabilitation of 24 sewer stations, and cleaning of gravity sewers, have been completed.

He pointed out that all 24 sewer stations are up and running smoothly, and are equipped with two pumps, one of which is on standby. And with completion of these sewers, the GWI has noted significant improvement in the Georgetown Sanitation System.

Yacoub said there is presently no backup of sewer, nor is there any blocking up of mains, as obtained previously; and the civil works were completed two months after the stipulated time of 18 months.

He said all roads have since been fixed to their original state, and even those roads which were not within the scope of the civil works would be reinstated to their original condition.

Yacoub, however, urged city customers to desist from abusing the sanitation system. He strongly advised against throwing garbage and other materials in the sewer system, since customers would ultimately be affected when GWI’s normal operations are affected.

GWI was the executing agency for the GSIP, and an agreement was signed on December 8, 2010 between the Government of Guyana (GoG) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for the sum of US$10M for improvement of the Georgetown Sewerage System’s operational performance.

The contract was based on the agreement that the GoG and the IDB had crafted in execution of the programme.

Components of the programme included complete replacement of the 5.5 km Sewerage Ring Main in Georgetown; replacement of all delivery mains; purchase and installation of additional pumps for 24 pumping stations, to ensure adequate pressure; and operational reliability and improvement of electrical connections. The programme also included an assessment of, and emergency rehabilitation to, street sewers in selected areas, besides purchase of maintenance and operating equipment.

Also included in the agreement was strengthening of GWI’s wastewater management and energy efficiency, which involves management implementation strategy and staff training programmes on wastewater operation, maintenance practices, and energy use.

The contract, moreover, included public awareness campaigns that targeted schools and business owners. This component was significant in light of the continued abuse of the system by customers, who continue to dump solid waste, thereby affecting the efficiency of the system, and resulting in overflows.

It was imperative that these structural improvements provided by the programme be complemented by customers’ proper use of the system, in order to achieve maximum efficiency, GWI concluded.

THE Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) has said that, after 18 months of decommissioning works done on the old sewer mains, the new system is fully operational.

The city’s new system, spanning from Albouystown to Seawall Road and from Vlissengen Road to Wellington Street, is working very well.

Activation of the new sewerage system, recently rehabilitated by local contractors S. Jagmohan and Nabi Consortium under the Guyana Government/Inter-American Development Bank US$10M loan, was done in reasonable time, and the works have been deemed satisfactory.

(Michel Outridge)