THE Guyana Water Inc (GWI) has commenced works on the new water-treatment plant in Wales, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
Located on the West Demerara Public Road in Wales, the facility is being built at a cost of $1.375 billion and is one among four planned treatment plants for Region Three; treatment plants are also on schedule to be built in Wakenaam, Leguan, and Parika.
The plant is being built by HJ Pro Ecologicos S.A de CV, and is scheduled to be completed by January, 2025. The facility will have a capacity of 8.1 Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD).
The project will improve access to treated water across the region, even as the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) works to improve access through the drilling of new water wells in unserved and underserved areas such as Parika Back and Lust-en-Rust.

With only 40 per cent of residents in Region Three benefitting from treated water, the investments in the new treatment facility will bring treated water coverage to 90 per cent.
The government has a very ambitious target along with a strategic plan at the level of the Guyana Water Inc to achieve 100 per cent treated water by 2025.
For 2023, water-treatment facilities were also budgeted for Regions Two, Four, Five and Six. A total of $12 billion has been provisioned in the 2023 budget for work on water-treatment facilities, the upgrading of transmission mains and the procurement of water meters and boxes.