Thousands of persons are soon to benefit from a new $35 million well at Mabaruma Settlement, Region One (Barima-Waini), which will be completed next month.
Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal and Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley visited the newly-drilled well over the weekend.
The well was drilled to a depth of 105 metres by Platinum Investment Inc. It is undergoing tests to determine its production rate. The project is being managed by the Guyana Water Inc (GWI).
Croal emphasised that the entire water supply system is scheduled for completion in March, addressing the longstanding water supply challenges in the rocky terrain of Mabaruma.
“It is intended just after that to connect it to the Mabaruma settlement grid. So, we’re talking about over a thousand persons who will benefit directly from this well,” he noted.
Inspecting work at the well site
Representative of the contracting firm, Jocelyn McAllister detailed that they employed specialised equipment for geo-resistivity logging studies to identify the optimal well location. In the rocky Mabaruma Settlement area, the studies revealed solid rock at least 50 metres below the surface, as opposed to the usual fractured rocks that allow water to permeate.
“Because of that study, we were able to complete the drilling in just over a week and we were successful,” said McAllister.
With Government planning to achieve 100 per cent potable water supply for the hinterland by 2025, GWI is actively expanding the water supply in Mabaruma, with a new well being drilled in Aracuru.
Contracts totalling $77 million have been awarded for additional wells in Barima Koriabo, St Anslem, Red Hill, and Powaikuru. Several other communities are slated to benefit from new wells under the 2024 programme.
A new office is under construction to enhance regional services, as the current office is within the compound of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). Looking ahead, the water company also plans to build a new treatment plant in Mabaruma, as part of its 2025 water initiatives.
