— Yurong Paru residents get treated water for first time

GUYANA Water Incorporated (GWI) commissioned the Yurong Paru Water Supply System in South Pakaraimas in Region Nine last Thursday, bringing an end to the days of walking long distances by residents there just to access water.

In a press statement, GWI said residents have not only gained improved access to water which is now in close proximity to their homes, but 95 per cent of the community now has access to treated water for the first time in keeping with the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

The Yurong Paru Village has approximately 340 residents.
“This is a major accomplishment, given that 80 per cent of the residents had previously received water directly from an existing spring from which they were at risk of accessing contaminated water,” GWI said.

The project was a joint effort by the utility company, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) which provided a sum of US$19,000, the Region Nine Democratic Council and the Yurong Paru Village Council, with community members playing a major role in its timely completion.

The works entailed the procurement of materials, construction of a storage facility and a timber trestle, inter-connection to the existing water supply system, repairing of leaks, improvements to the water distribution system and the installation of a water treatment system, the state-run water company explained.

Addressing residents at the commissioning ceremony, GWI Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles stressed the importance of collaboration in order to bridge the gap which exists in access to potable water in communities.
“Our experience here in Yurong Paru is in a way moving us forward as a best practice of bringing the agencies together, pooling our resources for the benefit of the people and this is what President Granger wants to see happen,” he stated.

The managing director pointed out that access to potable water is a universal human right, even as he highlighted the effects of the lack thereof on communities. He also noted that access to potable water improves relationships in communities and helps to further economic development therein.

He assured the residents of GWI’s commitment to the improvement of water systems in Region Nine as he disclosed that for 2018, Central Government and the utility company will be expending more than $150M to address the water needs of communities in that region.
Dr. Van-West Charles expressed gratitude to GWI’s staff for their commitment to ensuring the timely completion of Yurong Paru’s Water Supply System even as he assured that the company will continue to ensure that the community has access to treated water.

Several homes within the community do not have access to treated water due to their great distance and therefore, Jerrycans, which are used to filter the water, were handed over to the community for use in those homes.
Meanwhile, PAHO/WHO Guyana Consultant, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Dr. Mariano Bonet stressed the importance of water to the health and well-being of individuals.

GREAT INITIATIVE
Alluding to sustainable development goal number three which speaks to the health of the people and goal number six which speaks to water and sanitation, Dr. Bonet said what the world wants has materialised in Yurong Paru with the commissioning of the water supply system.

He noted the Government of Guyana has been working hard to ensure that hinterland communities are targeted and are a priority. This, he said, is important in order to realise sustainable development.
Dr. Boney spoke of the work that PAHO has been doing, along with the government, in various communities and assured that this will continue.

Chairman of the GWI Board of Directors, Patricia Chase-Green echoed similar sentiments with regard to the importance of water. She told the residents that they have now become the owners of the water supply system, which they should sustain and protect in order to ensure their health and well-being.
The residents expressed their gratitude to GWI and its partners for ensuring that they now have improved access to water which is also treated.

Toshao of Yurong Paru, Rovain Francis pointed out that the water system is now in proximity to the school and health post.
He spoke of the poor quality of water which the residents were accessing previously as he highlighted that the children, especially, are now benefitting from treated water.
The sustainability of the water system has also been ensured with the training of residents in the application of water treatment, maintenance and safe operation of the system.