Gov’t secures financing for construction of five new water-treatment plants – Minister Rodrigues says

THE government has obtained financing from the Caribbean Development Bank for the construction of five additional water-treatment plants.

This was according to the Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues on Wednesday, during a press conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

As the government continuously stays steady on the path to ensuring that all Guyanese have a better quality of life, the minister stated: “We have commenced the construction of seven new water-treatment plants. We have commenced rehabilitation and upgrade of 12 existing plants and the installation of 10 small inline treatment systems.

“So the combination of these interventions will see the improvements in the water treatment from 52 per cent to 90 per cent by 2025,” she said.

Furthermore, the government official affirmed that there is active participation in conversations surrounding the formation of a National Water Council, which would assume the responsibility of managing water resources nationwide.

Also, she underscored that under the previous APNU+AFC administration, the water utility company faced numerous challenges, such as large outstanding debts, overpaying contractors for works that had not even commenced, and procurement breaches.

“The company received no subvention in five years under the previous government,” the minister related.

Minister Rodrigues did not shy away from disclosing: “There were backlogs of outstanding water connections because the company had no inventory. There were no meters, no fittings, no spheres…There were over 5,000 major reported leaks across the country, so the infrastructure network was in a total mess.”

As the government continues to breathe life back into the water utility company, the minister stated that the company is now in a “stable and solid” financial position with no bank overdrafts, no outstanding debts to suppliers, and the employees are not only benefiting from better salaries, but also quality training.,

“Over the last three years, we’ve cleared the backlog of outstanding service connections; we’ve fixed the ongoing leaks; but this is an ongoing process of course, as leaks develop in the system. So the maintenance is something we have to pay careful attention to,” she said.

The implementation of the government’s strategic plan to deliver treated water to 90 per cent of the coastal population will be completed by 2025, according to the minister.

Additionally, with water being a basic human need, Rodrigues boasted that access to potable water is currently standing at 97.3 per cent, nationally.

Under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, more than 35,000 residents nationwide for the first time ever, received potable water.

With still more to accomplish, the minister still went over the lengthy list of achievements that have impacted hundreds of citizens’ lives.

For instance, according to her, water supply in the hinterland communities has increased from 46 per cent in 2020 to 82 per cent at the end of 2023.

“We have seen unprecedented growth and achievements in both sectors [housing and water],” Rodrigues remarked.