GUYANA is on the verge of universal access to safe, potable water, as Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar has said that from 2020-2025, there has been the construction and upgrade of a number of water treatment plants and wells, along with other investments in the sector.
The minister during a recent address, said that between 2020 and 2025, the proportion of the population that has access to water has increased to about 98.3 per cent.
“That is a high figure, but we intend to make that 100 per cent,” Indar said.
As it relates to water infrastructure, the minister noted that between 2020 and 2025, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has constructed several major water treatment plants across Guyana including: Caledonia, Bachelor’s Adventure, Cummings Lodge and Onderneeming.
There are several water treatment plants under construction including one in Bartica, Region Seven, which is set to benefit hundreds of residents from Four Miles to Five Miles.
There were also a number of water treatment plants that were upgraded in various regions, including Regions Four, Five and Six, the minister said.
In terms of the infrastructure investment, the government has injected in the last five years, some $65 billion into the water sector.
“And we will continue to do that from 2026 to 2030 because the strategy is really to have everybody have potable water, treated water,” the minister.
He then turned his attention to the riverine communities and noted that access to water in the hinterland is now 91 per cent.
“So, we will continue to work to raise those numbers, to make sure that everybody enjoys treated water, water that is potable,” the minister stated.
In the hinterland, from 2020 to 2025, the government has invested $5.5 billion and this resulted in the drilling of 131 wells, raising the accessible limit.
Indar further said that the government is also moving to construct surface water treatment plants such as one in Diamond and Hope.
The surface-water treatment plant at Hope will benefit residents from Cove & John to Cane Grove.
This modern facility will significantly expand treated-water coverage and align with national efforts to deliver high-quality potable water to all households.
Baksh reaffirmed GWI’s commitment to high-quality service, noting that these projects form part of the Government of Guyana’s broader investment in water sector modernisation.
The minister said that while are ongoing challenges, the ministry is working to fix them.
“That is why we need to continue to invest and put more wells in place and more transmission lines to move the water to the areas to accommodate the massive expansion in housing that we are seeing,” he further stated.
Beyond physical infrastructure, Minister Indar stated that the water sector is also set for digital transformation as plans are in place to automate operations, boosting customer relationship management and smart metering.