Over 63,000 residents along the Coastland will have improved access to treated water after Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) inked about $250 million in contracts to commence infrastructure works on 14 small water treatment plants in Regions Four, Five and Six.
The signing ceremony, held last Friday at GWI’s Corporate Office on Vlissengen Road and Church Street, was spearheaded by Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal and GWI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaik Baksh.
Minister Croal underscored that the government is committed to ensuring a minimum of 90 per cent of households on the coastland have treated water by 2025.
This undertaking forms part of a $1.3 billion investment to boost treated water access. This will be achieved by constructing several water treatment plants and wells.
These small plants will complement seven new ones which are at different stages of completion.
These include Onderneeming, Parika, Wales, Parfaite Harmonie, Caledonia, Cummings Lodge, and Bachelor’s Adventure.
Six of these treatment plants will be completed by December 2024, providing thousands of households with improved water quality and service.
“By the end of this year, we will be on our way to achieving our 90 per cent target for 2025. To our customers and everyone out there, just a few months more and you will see the effects of our investments that are taking place to ensure that all of the complaints are eliminated relating to the quality of water,” he highlighted.
Minister Croal urged the 10 contractors to adhere to their contractual obligations to ensure the timely completion of these works.
“I want to urge all of you to ensure that you deliver within the timeline that is being provided for the project,” the minister instructed.
He announced too that contracts will be signed very soon for five other treatment plants.
The government is also bridging the gap between the coast and the hinterland by ensuring residents in the hinterland regions have more access to potable water.
As such, he further disclosed, “We have just received another $600 million supplementary to take care and fast-track the delivery of services.”
Meanwhile, Baksh highlighted that the water plant which was upgraded as a part of a pilot project at Sparendaam along the East Coast of Demerara has been performing excellent.
Over 5,000 residents there are receiving a better level of service and water quality.
