–facility to benefit 10,000 households

IN keeping with its commitment to achieve 90 per cent provision of treated water across the coastland, the government is set to establish a massive US$8 million water-treatment plant at Bachelor’s Adventure, on the East Coast of Demerara.

Plans for this massive project were outlined by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, during a ministerial outreach at Melanie Damishana, ECD.
There, he said that this initiative will target some 10,000 households across the ECD, from Coldingen to Haslington.

According to Croal, this project is expected to be financed through the $44 billion supplementary budget which the government requested at the most recent sitting of the National Assembly.
He added that of the massive budget, $3.8 billion will be allocated to the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) for the construction of several water-treatment plants.

Minister Croal said that the government is keen on tackling the issues of untreated water and is committed to implementing initiatives that will improve the lives of all Guyanese.
He related that a recent study showed that just 52 per cent of the coastland is currently receiving treated water, but the government is committed to increasing that number to 90 per cent by 2025.

“The good news for you here — and I don’t know strategically why you’re here when you’re right over here at Bachelor’s Adventure — that’s where you get your well. We have budgeted US$8 million and the tenders are out now for a new water-treatment plant to come right here over in Bachelor’s Adventure,” the Housing and Water Minister said.

According to Minister Croal, this initiative will mark the first of eight planned water-treatment plants set to improve the water supply across the country.
The Housing Minister also disclosed that systems are being put in place to improve the water supply across the entire ECD. He noted that government will soon follow up on its previously disclosed plans to utilise the Hope Canal as a reservoir for the delivery of treated water for residents along the ECD.

“We have an outlined plan for the entire East Coast because as you go forward, you have heard us speak before about the study for the usage of the Hope Canal. So, for the cluster between Mahaica coming back, we are going to be tying in the results of the study to some of the uses of the Hope Canal, because that will inform us what are the resources we need to make available in order to be able to put treated water in,” Minister Croal said.

Several residents of “Melanie” and neighbouring communities lauded this initiative by the government, noting that while water supply has not been a significant issue, the quality of water has remained a major concern.
Sherry Martin, who has lived in the community for the past 47 years, related that she is anxiously anticipating the new water-treatment well, as many residents were forced to purchase water for everyday activities such as cooking.

A 72-year-old resident, Raymond Pereira, said that he has been living in the community for over 25 years and accessing water has always been difficult.
“[So], I believe it’s a good initiative, it would be good and beneficial for the people of these communities, because when you turn on the water is rust… you got to buy water to cook… you only could wash clothes with it… sometimes you wash white clothes with it you spoil it,” Pereira said.

He added that due to the quality of water, he had to invest in a water tank to store rainwater which he and his family use as a substitute when the water quality is extremely bad.
Noting that she has lived in “Melanie” for the past 25 years, Shemika Liverpool said that while the water supply on the East Coast is good, she, like many other residents, is ready to have access to a better quality of water.

She said: “The water here doesn’t really cut off like that… it’s just that it’s brown, other than that, we do get water the entire night and so, so I know most of the residents will be happy and are like me waiting for the quality to match up with the access we already have.”