-President Ali says over $65B invested to fix ‘national disaster’ left behind by former administration
-highlights improved access for hinterland residents
SERVING 14,000 residents, a water treatment plant was on Sunday commissioned by President, Dr Irfaan Ali at Caledonia, East Bank Demerara.
Now equipped with new and improved methods of water treatment, the $700 million facility is outfitted with a large power generator, ensuring 24-hour uninterrupted service; three massive filters; two large storage facilities and several booster pumps supplying maximum water pressure to several communities in the area.
“When we came back into government in 2020, we came with a very clear vision, and that is how we can reduce the cost of water to homes, how we can improve quality, how we can expand production, invest in the network and give people a higher quality of water,” the Head of State told residents during his featured address.
Further ensuring that residents have equitable water supply, he reminded his audience that the government also reduced the water tariffs that were implemented by the previous administration, saving consumers millions of dollars.
“We reduced the cost of water tariff, we removed taxes, [we] reduced water tariff by five per cent that would have saved consumers more than $260 million annually, and that was in keeping with initiatives to cushion the impact of the pandemic.”
The government in the past four years, invested over $65 billion in the water sector, increasing countrywide access to about 98.3 per cent of the population.
These investments have seen Guyana coming a long way, overcoming several trials and hardships, President Ali said, while recalling that in 1992, the country was riddled with public health issues due to poor water supply. At that time, only 50 per cent of the population had access to clean and potable water.
Citing several international reports from that period, Dr. Ali pointed out that the country’s water infrastructure was in total collapse.
“Every single International report and study pointed to water as a major disaster, pointed to public health issues as a result of what was taking place in the water sector.”
He explained that the government had inherited what was described in international reports a ‘situation in that was nothing short of a national disaster.’
“You will recall that people would have walked miles to get water, and the water would be cloudy or muddy… many women and children were fetching and storing water in every conceivable container… in some cases [they] walked miles just to fetch water, carrying heavy buckets or drums or carts.”
This was the grim picture painted by a 1993 World Bank report, but to date, many children will not have to face this fate.
“And that is what development should be, to avoid successive generations experiencing the failures of the past. And that is what public policy is about, continuously developing public policy that avoids the pitfalls, shortfalls and failures of the past in building [a]strong, resilient future.”
The president added, “So today, 98.3 per cent of our population have access to water, and we have been able to improve access between 2020 to now in the hinterland, from 46 per cent to 91 per cent.”
‘ENHANCING HEALTH, SANITATION AND OVERALL LIVING STANDARDS’
Meanwhile, Senior Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal stated that the commissioning of the facility marks a transformative step in ensuring that more communities have access to clean and potable water enhancing health, sanitation and overall living standards.
“Your government remains committed to delivering on the promises made to the people of Guyana. The government’s investment in this critical area of water has been outstanding,” the minister said.
He pointed out that the new facility will serve some 14,000 residents and aligns with a broader initiative of Guyana fulfilling its sustainable development goal (SDG) of ensuring all citizens have access to clean and potable water supply.
“Today’s commissioning aligns with our broader vision for a more developed Guyana. Over the past four and a half years, we have made significant strides in the housing infrastructure and the water sector.”
The facility at Caledonia is the first of seven that is [sic] being constructed, with the largest being on the East of Coast Demerara.
According to the Guyana Water Incorporated’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaik Baksh, the commissioning of the Caledonia water treatment plant marks a significant step towards the government’s goal of providing 90 per cent treated water to the coastal population by mid-2025.
The plant was designed to produce 6.3 megalitres of water, but currently supplies over seven megalitres and will expand to eight megalitres. The facility was first constructed in 1992.
The project is complemented by $1.6 billion in investments of 16 transmission mains and other key infrastructures.
The government has upgraded 12 plants and installed 18 small treatment plants, aiming to meet and even exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) standards for water quality.
And soon, some 30 kilometres of pipelines will be completed in the next two months.
“90 per cent of the coastal population and the people have expressed their concern over the last three years or more than that, about the quality of the water which is coming out. Don’t forget, it’s coming from the aquifer, high iron content.”
These plants will essentially remove the iron content from water supply and already the one at Caledonia has exceeded WHO standards, which requires water supply for potable or drinking use to have an iron concentration of below 0.03 mg/litres iron, the new plant is delivering water supply with a concentration of 0.01 mg/litres.
The new plant was constructed by Sigma, a Bangladesh firm. According to the contractor, the company introduced cutting-edge technology successfully completing the facility ahead of its contractual date and within its stipulated budget.