CHIEF Executive Officer of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Dr Richard Van-West Charles has said that the utility is improving its revenue collection and will be embarking on newer projects for 2017 in order to make potable water available 24 hours a day in most areas.The CEO, speaking at a press conference Wednesday, stated that the GWI has since rehabilitated 10 water filters, cleaned water tanks, pumps and reservoirs that have not been cleaned in 20 years.

Dr Van-West Charles added that in two months time they want to impact the water quality and so the utility has established labs to check water purity for overall improvement on a 24-hour basis.

He noted some projects which GWI has successfully completed in all regions, and in Region One, Mabaruma, a new well is to be constructed and the water company will partner with the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) to get water from the Hosororo Falls so residents can benefit from treated water.

In Region Two, he said that the utility has commenced the drilling of a new well at Wakenaam and it is expected to be completed this year-end.

Meanwhile, in Region Four, the GWI has installed new distribution mains in the President’s College area, East Coast Demerara.

And in Sophia, where consumers have not had adequate water supply, the utility has installed transmission mains to North Sophia, while the Turkeyen well was rehabilitated and by mid-2017, the water supply will be significantly improved.

Dr Van-West Charles said also that the utility has constructed two new wells and one storage tank for Sophia. It has also installed new connections in Campbellville, where some 2,000 residents will benefit at a cost of $62M and this project will continue in 2017.

NEW TRANSMISSION MAINS

The transmission mains are to be replaced in the Albouystown and Charlestown areas, as well as Georgetown, where they are about 100 years old and outdated, so the distribution system must be replaced in order for residents to get improved water pressure.

As it is now, the GWI cannot increase the water pressure because that would rupture the mains, but in Meadowbrook, the utility has completed 75% of the work at a cost of $8.8M, replacing distribution lines that were in drains, Dr Van-West Charles said.

In Lamaha Park, the distribution system and transmission lines have since been improved, he added.