ABOUT 1,000 residents residing on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway will benefit from potable water for the first time under a programme being executed by Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to provide potable water to rural communities.A $47.9M contract was awarded to R. Kissoon for the installation of transmission and distribution networks and service connections at Kuru Kuru and Kukururu, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, while S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies was awarded a $45.4M contract for the installation of a transmission and distribution network at Waiakabra, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, the Government Information Agency (GINA) stated.

According to the Agency, the projects seek to enhance the quality of life for residents along the highway, and to make these communities attractive for residential settlement.

GWI’s Director of Infrastructure Planning and Implementation, Ramchand Jailal, explained that the agency is in the process of providing the contract document to the contractors, and works are expected to commence in August. The duration of the contract is two months.

“So we expect the works will be completed within these periods and we are working closely with the communities to ensure that we deliver these projects successfully, very early, well within the third quarter of 2016 to ensure that the communities start to benefit very soon,” GINA quoted Mr Jailal as saying.

Additionally, Jailal said a project has just been completed in Hill Foot, which is serving that community and surrounding areas. He said that the GWI is now undertaking the drilling of a new well in Silver Hill to provide water service to that community.

“These communities have been suffering from the lack of water supply, they never had water supply in that community so this project provides for drilling of new potable water well and installation of the mains and service connections to provide service for the entire community,” Jailall explained.

Meanwhile, for the rehabilitation of potable water wells in Georgetown- Shelterbelt, North Ruimveldt Shelterbelt Number 2, Tucville and Mocha, a $20.2M contract was awarded to Water and Oil Well Service Company Ltd of Trinidad.