RESIDENTS of Timehri on the East Bank of Demerara are stating that they are now entering their fifth year with limited water supply from the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), despite several public commitments and the allocation of millions of dollars for new well projects.

A letter sent to the Stabroek News (SN) Newspaper by community members from Hyde Park, Timehri Hill Top, Timehri North and parts of the Docks area and Base Road said the situation has moved from a minor inconvenience to what they described as a daily struggle to have this necessary service.

Stabroek News further highlighted that residents pointed towards a pair of well-drilling projects advertised by the GWI in February of last year. The tenders were issued for two potable water wells in the Timehri area, with a combined budget of $38 million and close to $50 million when related works were included. The projects, according to residents in the SN article, went through the tendering process and appear to have been awarded; however no information was shared with the community regarding contractors assigned, start dates and the expected completion dates, or whether progress had been made.

In response to the article, the GWI stated that the Timehri water improvement programme is not abandoned but is actively progressing with one well already serving residents and the other major facility nearing completion.

The Utility Company further explained that as part of the Government’s national mandate to expand access to potable water, funding was secured for a comprehensive upgrade of the Timehri water supply system.

This, they said included the drilling of two new deep wells, the rehabilitation of the Timehri Water Treatment Plant, upgrades to transmission and distribution networks, and rehabilitation works on the Timehri Number Five well.

Regarding the two wells referenced in the letter, the GWI said the Timehri No.2 New Deep Well was awarded to the R&D Construction Company and has been fully completed and operational for over three months. This well is located in the vicinity of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Air Base and Dakota Circuit area. It currently has the capacity to provide potable water to more than 8,000 residents daily. This represents a major improvement to the system and is already benefitting sections of the community the GWI said.

Additionally, the Timehri No.1 New Deep Well, which was awarded to QA Civil Works, is currently over 90 per cent completed and remains in its final stage of drilling and development.

This well is scheduled for full completion by December 31, 2025, and is expected to produce approximately 220 cubic metres of water per hour, with the capacity to serve an estimated 22,000 residents.

Once operational the New Deep Well in Timehri No.1 will be treated at the newly-refurbished Timehri Water Treatment Plant, significantly expanding treated water coverage there.

Noting inaccuracies in the assertion that no progress has been made or projects are stalled, the GWI said that while service challenges do persist in some sections as a result of limitations of the old system, and phased integration of new infrastructure, works are actively ongoing and tangible improvements are already being realised.

The company is therefore asking residents for patience and understanding through this time. Addressing billing concerns, GWI said it remains committed to fairness and transparency, and urged customers who believe their bills are inaccurately representing the level of service received, to visit the nearest GWI office for account verification and investigation where adjustments will be made where warranted.

Public updates will continue to be released as each phase of work is finalised. The GWI said it will embark on deploying a technical team to the affected areas to ensure that matters of level of service may be addressed.