OVER 600 archaic, non-functional fire hydrants have been recently refurbished by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).

For years the fire hydrants, particularly those in the city, have been practically useless because of the condition they were in.

Although it is not a responsibility of GWI, the company took on the task of repairing the hydrants around Georgetown, said Managing-Director of GWI, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles during a press conference on Friday.

Most of the hydrants were vandalised and needed new stand posts and valves. The some 600 hydrants were repaired to the tune of $25 million.

“In some cases, they were vandalised and were not connected, so we had to replace them… we put devices to secure them… not to say they would be able to remove, it would be difficult,” said a representative of GWI.

The company intends to work closely with the Guyana Fire Service to ensure that the hydrants are maintained. About 500 more are expected to be refurbished.
Dr. Van-West Charles said the city needs more because when the initial set of hydrants was installed, the population was not as large.

“We have to look at this… it is not a mandate of GWI, just that we have stepped up,” he said, adding that the water-distribution network is aged and will be repaired incrementally.