THE Government of Guyana is investing close to $50,000 for every resident of communities in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne), out of a population of 122,000 persons.
This equates to a total of nearly $6B in capital investments by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) for the execution of major projects intended to improve the quality of water and the delivery of service.
According to the Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, these projects include the installation of transmission mains in designated villages, the construction of water treatment plants and the general upgrading  of distribution systems throughout the region.
“These initiatives are all aimed at ensuring that persons have access to potable water, a vital requirement for the health and well-being of all citizens and we extend our programmes to deliver this,” Ali affirmed.
The developmental projects include the construction of two water treatment plants in No.56 Village and Queenstown, at a cost of $2.7B; the Rose Hall water improvement project, for the sum of $2.4B; the installation of transmission mains in Skeldon, No. 74-74 Villages, No. 61-62 Villages, Letter Kenny, Adventure to Alness, Fyrish, Black Bush Polder, Canefield, Whim and Manchester, at a total cost of $200M.
In addition, there has been the upgrading of distribution systems in No.51-73 Villages, No.1 Road to Whim, Whim to Black Bush Polder, Goed Banana Land, No.1 to 50 Villages, No.74 Village to Crabwood Creek, and Glasgow to Edinburg, to the tune of $250M.
As to the progress of additional works, Ali said, “At the moment, we are drilling two wells for a total sum of $140M in Manchester and in Rose Hall, and a new well will also be drilled in No. 49 Village later this year.”
In April of this year, contracts totaling $36.5M were also signed for the improvement of water supply to the community of Angoy’s Avenue.
“Distribution upgrade works are ongoing there, and transmission mains are nearly completed from No. 50- 53 Villages, for $20M; these works will be completed next month, and will result in additional improvements,” Minister Ali highlighted.
In addition, in keeping with Government’s commitment to improving the lives of all citizens, an additional $250M has been earmarked for the execution of additional works.
These include works to transmission mains in Mibicuri to Lesbeholden – $40M, Canefield to Reliance – $30M, No 76 –No 78 Villages – $30M, No 19 Village – $20M, Glasgow to Edinburg – $30M, Bushlot to Cromarty- $40M, and No 42 –No 50 Villages, for $62M.
In light of all of the improvements in the water sector to date, Ali stressed that this has resulted in the increase in percentage of persons in the country who have access to potable and treated water.
He explained, “Our aim is to see this percentage amplified; already persons with access to potable water has increased from 71 percent to in excess of 98 percent across the country, and those with access to treated water has also progressively increased from 26 to 45 percent in 2010.”