– GWI asking for no wastage and prompt payments 

By Telesha Ramnarine   

DOES washing your hands for 20 seconds mean that you have to leave the tap running for 20 seconds? What about brushing your teeth while leaving the water running, or allowing your ‘black tank’ to run over each time?

Well, water is a finite resource and with climate change occurring, weather patterns are constantly changing. This, in turn, can affect the water cycle and the rate at which the aquifers are replenished. Although Guyana is known as the ‘Land of Many Waters’, all of it is not freshwater and hence not readily available for use. Furthermore, chemicals for treatment are extremely costly.

Although officers from the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) are saying they are in control in the event of an emergency, they are still asking the populace to avoid wasting water, especially during this time when citizens may increase their usage in the fight against COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019).

GWI’s Public Relations Officer Leana Bradshaw has detailed some of the practical measures citizens can take to ensure they save on the precious commodity.

Here is a list of things she mentioned: installing a float valve in water storage tanks to prevent water from constantly running over, turning off the tap while lathering to wash hands and brush teeth, inserting a filled one-litre bottle of water in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used to flush, taking shorter showers, reusing greywater where possible for gardening purposes and washing yards, and washing fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water instead of allowing the water to run from the tap.

In light of water being one of the most principal resources to combat COVID-19, Bradshaw also noted that GWI is encouraging all customers to adhere to their bill due dates by using the various options available to pay.

These options include remote ones such as GT&T Mobile Money, Scotiabank Online and other payment locations countrywide such as the commercial banks, post offices, Bill Express and SurePay. “This is because GWI cannot fulfill its commitment to adequately produce and treat water for the populace without the requisite finances,” Bradshaw expressed.

In most areas, GWI has been supplying water on a 24-hour basis (prior to COVID 19) and this is expected to continue, with all pump stations being on a 24-hour operation. However, managers and engineers will be monitoring more closely the pressure loggers to see if there is a significant pressure drop at the station during the day. If this happens, the pumps will have to be resized where possible.

Managing Director of GWI, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, in an invited comment to this publication, assured that “everything” is in place in the event of a water shortage emergency.

GWI accesses water from both underground and surface, and while surface water is always readily available, it requires treatment. “The only way in which this may become unavailable for use is if there is no treatment. However, GWI has already ordered treatment for a five-month period,” he informed.

Both surface and groundwater, however, require power to be distributed to the populace and the only way which water may not be available is if there is a power outage or failure of a pump. “In these cases, we have some back-up pumps and generators…Nevertheless, these generators are not enough. As such, they will be mobilised and sent to well stations, should the need arise. We also have staff at our treatment plants working on a 24-hour basis – three shifts per day. Everything is therefore in place, in event of an emergency,” West-Charles stated.

Head of Technical Services Lensworth Blair also commented similarly that GWI is on top of arrangements in the case of an emergency. “All our mobiles/tankers are operational and can be deployed to communities in the event of an extended outage. Generators are stationed at all WTP (Water Treatment Plants) and these are all operational,” commented.

The water company has decided to put a hold on all planned stoppages and maintenance work that will affect distribution, and where emergencies are foreseen, works will be done in the night or on off-peak periods.

Most networks are configured so that low water pressure can be supplied from a neighbouring well or WTP station. “We have the capacity to deliver water via a water tanker and a tractor-trailer assembly within East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, Georgetown and Region Three 3, and managers will be asked to link with Neighbourhood Democratic Councils which have tractor-trailers in the event this becomes necessary,” Blair explained.