By Margaret Burke

EVEN before gaining power in 2015 the government of the APNU+AFC coalition had always stated that they believe each and every citizen of this beautiful land of Guyana is entitled to the right to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. This, the government had assured, would become a priority and must be realised in the earliest possible time. So far a sustained plan is constantly being implemented across this country to realise and sustain improved access to safe drinking water and better sanitation.

The United Nations estimates that hundreds of millions of people live without clean water, as well as without the appropriate sanitation facilities. While Guyanese are fortunate not to have children and adults who often die from water-related diseases, this country is not exactly where it should be in terms of the availability of safe drinking water for all.

Some people, especially in the hinterland, still feel comfortable drinking water from some of our rivers and creeks. They have done this for years and lived healthy and strong – in some cases doing some things that others in the coastland cannot do. Nonetheless, the government recognises that with developmental and other changes taking place in some parts of Guyana, the approach to using river water has to change. For example, in some cases there are necessary disturbances happening to our creeks and river water, which cannot allow it to still be safe.

FIRST TIME ACCESS
October to December, 2015, a mere three months after the coalition government came into office, 1,875 residents received potable water for the first time. After some 30 years of living in the North Sophia area, standpipes leading into homes were installed for more than 375 residents. An additional 900 residents in Ann’s Grove on the East Coast of Demerara received access to potable water. Also during this time in 2015, more than 600 residents in Tucberg, Savannah Park and No. 68 Village, East Berbice benefitted from this service.

During the year 2016, the APNU+AFC coalition government ensured that an additional 41,480 families benefitted from water and sanitation. Over 20,000 residents in ‘D’ and ‘E’ Field Sophia, as well as in the North Ruimveldt and Turkeyen areas benefitted from potable water access after many years. At the same time there was the installation of distribution mains in the Dutch Cab and Dazzell Housing Schemes; Vryheid’s Lust; Golden Grove and many other areas along the East Coast Demerara.

On the East Bank Demerara, 580 residents at Yarrowkabra, Kuru Kururu, Barnwell, Mocha, and the Friendship squatting area also benefitted from the installation of water supply systems. Also in 2016, villages along the West Coast Berbice received 2,000 new mains, which were installed for access to potable water. These villages included Numbers 30, 40, 41 and 42; in addition to the Ross, Lovely-Lass, Lichfield and Esau-Jacob villages. Residents of Region Six were also recipients of the installation of more than 6,500 new mains. Many of them were from the villages of Tarlogie, Stanleytown, Nigg, Budhan Scheme, Angoy’s Avenue and Numbers 53, 72 and 74 villages.

REGIONS SEVEN TO NINE
Beneficiaries in Region Seven amounted to a total of some 1,350 residents from Byderabo, Warawatta and Kako villages. Kamarang Primary and Nursery Schools, the Upper Mazaruni, Kamarang District Hospital and Quebanang Primary School, all within the region also gained access to potable water for the first time.
At Monkey Mountain, Section Two, approximately 750 residents had some 2800 meters of pipes, catchment area, photovoltaic system, water trestle and stand pipes installed for their benefit. Simultaneously, more than 2,600 residents in Region Eight and 2000 in Princeville received pure water. Added to the list were 600 families in the Campbelltown, Mahdia area of the region.

Region Nine residents benefitted from an even larger number of drilled and installed wells. In total, there were 5800 beneficiaries from Culvert City; Kuma, Rupertee, Wowerr, Aranaputa and Shulmah. Included in this set of beneficiaries were residents of Green Valley, Amelia’s Ward and Blueberry, Linden.

2017 WENT WIDE
Except for Region Eight, every other region received potable water from this government in 2017. Residents of Yarakita in Region One and Lima Sands in Region Two could not be outdone and so they had their new well and water system installed, benefitting some 2,600 of them.

At Ridge, Wakenaam in Region Three more than 400 residents received potable water. Region Four, on the other hand, saw some 2600 residents benefitting. These residents were mainly from the Soesdyke Linden highway; Timehri and Bladenhall Railway Embankment on the East Coast. Region Five was also added to the list of beneficiaries.

Region Six had a very busy time in 2017. Various areas profited from new and improved water services to the tune of some 10,000 beneficiaries. Some of the areas included Angoy’s Avenue, Molsen Creek, Baracara, New Amsterdam and Locaber in East Canje.

Twelve hundred beneficiaries of Regions Seven and Nine gained access to potable water for the first time. Many of them live at Karrau, Tiger Pond and Semonie; Rupertee, Wowetta, Shulinab and Aranaputa. One thousand eight hundred beneficiaries of Rincon, Koko and Kamwatta are now sharing from new water supply systems. Another 1800 from the Mabaruma and Barbina areas in Region have begun to benefit from chlorine dosing injection system. A further 400 residents from Koberimo are also benefitting from new water systems.

In Region Three an additional 2440 customers of the water company are benefitting from the installation and distribution of mains. These residents are mainly in Zeelugt, Phase Three and Best Sea Dam.
Over 640 residents of Paradise Village, DeHoop, Onverwagt, Good Faith and Ithaca in Region Four gained access to potable water in 2017. This was done through the interconnection of new pipelines and the installation of new mains in the areas.

Lighttown, Highbury, DeKinderen and Deutichem are communities in Region Six, which are enjoying water facilities too. Nearly 200 residents saw the reactivation of the Edinburgh well station and installation of a distribution network. Seven hundred and twenty-five residents within Region Seven gained access to the supply of pure water. They hail from the Wayaleng, Chinoweing and Chenapau. In Region Eight, 1200 residents of the Paramakatoi, as well as 300 from Yurong Paru from Region Nine are also beneficiaries of water supply.

2018 AND BEYOND

Residents of Regions One, Three, Four, Six, Seven and Eight were all beneficiaries of potable water in 2018. In fact, improvement in water supply all over Guyana continued apace during this year. Some 4,000 residents from within three different communities of Region One are now enjoying the services of better water supply. In addition, communities with Rincon, Koko and Kamwatta, Mabaruma, Barbina and Koberimo are also enjoying similar gains.

In Region Three over 2,000 residents were added to a growing list of beneficiaries, these include Zeelugt, Phase Three and Best Sea Dam. D’Urban, Providence, Phase Three, Paradise, DeHoop, Park residents were also added to the list in Region Four.

There continue to be an expansion of beneficiaries within Region 10 as well. These include residents of Andy Ville, Amelia’s Ward Self Help Squatting, No. 58 and Great Falls. Other residents include those from the villages of Onverwagt, Good Faith, Ithaca, Roseanna Park and Campbelltown in Region Eight.

PROGRESS IS SURE
The expansion of water and sanitation resources to all people in Guyana will certainly open up many other developmental possibilities. Water is a necessity for life; vital in aiding good physical, as well as mental health – bringing about comfort, food security and jobs.

Water can be seen as a sustainer of everything and so the society cannot exist without it. This is why water is a fundamental factor in the collaboration of every aspect of development within the society – education and health, science and technology, business, economy and innovation.

The coalition government of the APNU+AFC therefore recognises the fact that the need for every community to access safe water and sanitation is a crucial human right. Therefore, this matter will remain as a top priority until each household is able to acquire this right. The coalition government therefore intends to get the job of making clean potable water easily accessible and widely available.