IN response to a recent water shortage in the Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, two additional wells will be added to the steadily growing community by year-end, according to the chief executive of Guyana’s water company, Dr Richard Van-West Charles.Van-West Charles told the media Wednesday at a press conference at the water company’s Vlissengen Road headquarters that a strain has been placed on the Diamond well, which remains the only well sourcing some 5000 households in the community with water.

“Clearly, one well is insufficient to service the population of this area,” the CEO continued.

According to the CEO, there had been some challenges with the same well in February last and some works were done “which we thought were successful.”

“It worked for the last three months, but it has now again presented a problem.”

Dwayne Shako, Director of Operations at the GWI, explained that the Diamond Well had been breached and that the well was pumping mud. The GWI technical team noted an intrusion of mud at a depth of some 239 feet of the total 665-foot well.

There was an attempt to remedy the rupture, but the remedy proved futile owing to the pressure placed on the well by the growing community.

Shako underscored poor electricity levels, voltage fluctuations, and power complications as reasons for the other damage to the well, and even to other wells along the East Bank of Demerara, a position that was supported by Dr Van-West Charles.

Residents in the Diamond Housing Scheme have been experiencing prolonged water shortage for about a week or so. As an immediate remedy to the situation, the GWI will deliver water using tanks.

According to a release from the water company, vehicle numbers GVV 4698 and GSS 6751 will be deployed for water distribution from 1st to 6th Avenue from 8:00am to 12 midnight by Mr John and Mr Carr, who could be contacted at 681-2118 and 616-2135, respectively.

For 7th to 12th Avenues, Mr Allicock and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) will deliver water from vehicles GVV 4169 and GJJ 6574 between 8:00am and 12 midnight; and Mr Ward, available at 647-7291, and the Prison Service will deliver water between 13th and 21st Avenue from 8am to 12 midnight.

Although no information was available for Mr Allicock, the contact numbers for one Mr Newton was provided by the water company as 643-1942 and 621-2569.

In an effort to safeguard water security for Diamond residents, the company will explore a combination of groundwater and surface water for the two additional wells to be drilled. This is to be done as part of a project with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Van-West Charles expects the first well to be completed within two months.