Over the past five years, the percentage of persons across the country with access to potable water has increased from 71 percent to in excess of 98 percent. This has resulted in the promotion of healthier lives and improvement of economic activities throughout the country. Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, made this announcement last week as he discussed the overall improvement in the country’s water sector.
Alluding to the overall improvements, Ali said, “The levels of service have continuously increased over the years, with significant capital and operating interventions.”
According to Minister Ali, the interventions include the investment of more than $1.2B, which has resulted in the drilling of more than 18 wells across the country.
“Some of the areas where new wells have been drilled include Somerset, Good Hope, Onderneeming, Vergenoegen, Le Parfait Harmonie, Cornelia Ida, Meten-Meer-Zorg, Belle Vue, Tuschen, La Grange, Diamond, Kingston, Lusignan, De Hoop, Enmore, Cummings Lodge , Canefield and Amelia’s Ward,” he informed.
In addition, nearly 30,000 households have been issued water supply service for the first time, contributing to the increase in customers from around 150,000 to near 180,000 up to 2010.
Continuing, Minister Ali revealed that improvement works have also been carried out on the distribution networks, which include the upgrade and installation of in excess of 50 kilometres of distribution mains and in excess of 27,000 new service connections.
As to the cost of such extensive upgrades, he noted that the total amount invested in these areas amounted to in excess of $7B.
Added to this, GWI continues to subsidize tariffs for vulnerable members of the population, including pensioners, who have increased from 12,000 in 2006 to nearly 20,000 in 2010.
Minister Ali also emphasized that the National Water Council, established under the Water and Sewerage Act for the integrated management of the country’s water resources, continues to carry out its functions in integrated water resources management.
The Council serves as advisory to the Minister of Housing and Water in implementing, developing, and amending the national water policy.
To complement the improvements in the water supply, GWI has commissioned seven new water treatment plants at a cost in excess of $5B, which has contributed to the improvement in service and water quality to in excess of 15,000 persons.
The communities benefiting from the installation of the new plants include Corriverton in Region Six (East Berbice /Corentyne); Lima on the Essequibo Coast; Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo; Central Ruimveldt and Sophia, Georgetown; Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice; and No. 47 Village and Queenstown, East Berbice.
In addition, major rehabilitation works have been completed to improve services in Linden, Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, and Mahdia.