CLOSE to 100 households in the community of Five Miles, Bartica, Region Seven may soon benefit from access to potable water after five years as Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) advances the drilling of a new well in the community.

GWI’s Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh, and a technical team visited the region on Tuesday, where they observed the drilling of the new well by the company’s in-house drilling team. The utility company is expecting to ascertain the productivity of the well within the next month, a release said.

The well drilling is based on the company’s strategic plan and a recent commitment made by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, to ensure that potable water is provided to the community within the shortest possible time.

Currently, residents depend on the rain, a nearby creek or purchase water. The CEO explained that the water source for Bartica is the Mazaruni River and this water is treated at the Bartica Water Treatment Plant and supplied to customers. However, the Five Miles community being at such an elevated level makes it difficult for the plant to serve the area.

Distribution pipelines have already been laid in the community and upon completion of the remaining works, residents will be required to apply for individual service connections. The provision of water to the Five Miles community forms part of an overall plan to ensure that all residents throughout Guyana have access to an adequate water supply.

Meanwhile, the team also ventured to various water sources within and surrounding the Five Miles area. The utility company’s CEO explained that GWI is examining the feasibility of utilising alternative water sources to not only serve the Five Miles area, but Bartica as a whole.

There is one main water source that is being examined and Baksh stressed that GWI wants to ensure that the source will be able to provide a sustainable water supply. He expressed hope that the project will be a success. If proven feasible, he said, the company can commence work next year, the release noted.

Two representatives of the Hydrometeorological services of the Ministry of Agriculture were also present to submerge measuring instruments to ascertain the water levels from now until the end of 2021. Further, the CEO explained that this plan takes into consideration 25 years of population growth in Bartica.