…as GWI commissions $22M well station

THE quality of life for some 160 residents of Moco Moco, Central Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) has been significantly boosted with the commissioning of a $22M well station there on Sunday.

The new well was drilled to a depth of 150 metres; additionally, distribution and transmission pipelines and 36 individual service connections, were installed The project was funded by the Government of Guyana and Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to the tune of GYD$22M and executed by in-house GWI staff with the community’s assistance.
The new water-supply system was commissioned on Sunday at the Moco Moco Primary School; hundreds of residents gathered to witness history being made in their community, which is located approximately 30 minutes from Lethem.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony was GWI’s Managing-Director (MD), Dr Richard Van-West Charles. Dr Van-West Charles said that a minimum of 14 wells have been drilled in Region Nine, as GWI works assiduously to ensure that all Guyanese have access to potable water. In the Moco Moco community, he explained, about five months ago he led a GWI team which had visited to examine the water situation. Four community meetings were hosted since then and a decision was made to drill another well in the community.
The community previously had a windmill- driven water-supply system which includes a shallow, hand-dug well, and the water supply proved to be a challenge during the dry season. Further, residents previously had to walk long distances to manually retrieve water from the well, which was prone to contamination.

Fast forward five months later, the community has a new water-supply system which allows them to conveniently access water that is fit for human consumption. Dr Van-West Charles told the residents that the water quality is in keeping with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

According to him, water-quality testing will be done monthly in the community and the results provided to the residents. Further, the previously existing windmill-driven system will be utilised as a backup and disinfection will be done to allow residents to consume that water as well.

GWI will continue to install individual service connections in the community, allowing even more residents to gain access to water in their homes. The MD pointed out that residents can now have their own flush toilets and showers. There are 16 pensioners in the community and GWI will be gifting those persons showers for Christmas.

Dr Van-West Charles noted that the new system will support economic development of the community, making particular reference to agricultural activities. There are two servicemen in the community who will be trained to maintain the water-supply system.

He encouraged the community to care the system, even as he expressed gratitude to the community’s Toshao Mr James George for his assistance and guidance.

Turning his attention to Sustainable Development Goal number six, which speaks to clean water for all by 2030, Dr Van-West Charles told the residents that GWI is working to achieve this in Guyana by 2025. Emphasis, he said, is being placed on ensuring that all schools and health facilities have access to 24 hours water supply.

Meanwhile, also addressing the residents at the commissioning, Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally said that the government is concerned about the issues the residents are facing so that they can be addressed, affording them the good life the president promised.

She pointed out that there will be continued development under the present government as the president wants the best for Guyanese. His mandate is to ensure that the quality of life in the hinterland regions is no different from that on the coastland. The minister congratulated GWI for providing Moco Moco residents with access to potable water. Moco Moco Toshao Mr James George said that he was overjoyed about the development in his community; he expressed gratitude to Minister Ally, GWI and by extension the Government of Guyana, even as he expressed confidence that a lot more will be done in the community. Other residents too expressed gratitude for the water-supply system and one of those residents was Mr Elvis Mandokin. He said that prior to GWI’s intervention, it was difficult to access water that was somewhat contaminated. Mr Mandokin explained that for his grandparents, manually retrieving water from the well was not only difficult but also dangerous, since they risked falling in. The new system now allows them easy access to potable water and for this he is thankful.