THE Friendship Water Treatment Plant on the East Coast of Demerara is currently undergoing restoration works to the tune of $170 million, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) disclosed on Friday.

In a press release, the entity stated that as part of the project, seven new filters have been installed to increase the treatment capacity of the plant.

Recently, GWI Project Director, Lt Col Marlon Daniels, and Engineer for the Friendship Project, Amanda Ramgobind, inspected the site to review the progress made so far. The project is being expedited to ensure it is completed within the shortest possible timeframe.

The newly installed filters will be linked to the plant’s storage tank and are expected to produce approximately eight megaliters of water per day.

“This will benefit about 7,000 residents from Annandale to Strathspey, including those residing in the new housing development south of the railway line. Currently, GWI technicians are working on the interconnected pipes, which will be followed by electrical works to commence the restoration project,” the release said.

The new filters and other works carried out by GWI will enable the processing of groundwater with high iron content to meet the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standards. This will provide much-needed relief to the residents served by the treatment plant.

Additionally, the GWI has launched a large-scale water programme, which includes the construction of 12 new water-treatment plants and the upgrading of another 12.

The Government of Guyana aims to increase the coverage of treated water on the coastland to 90 per cent by 2025, and restoration of the Friendship plant is expected to bring GWI five to seven per cent closer to achieving this target, the release added.