$35M water supply system commissioned at Sawariwau

– as $2.1M contract inked for expansion work

The Housing and Water Ministry recently commissioned a $35 million water supply system in Sawariwau Village, South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). This system is said to benefit more than 600 persons who will now access potable water.

The current system serves 60 per cent of the community. However, a contract to the tune of $2.1 million was inked with the Village Council to further expand the distribution network, which will ensure 90 per cent coverage to the community.
The expansion is expected to be carried out by the Village Council and will see another 5km of pipeline being installed and approximately 35 new service connections. This is in addition to job creation, as Community Service Officers (CSOs) from the village will be trained to carry out basic maintenance work on the water system.
Speaking at the commissioning on Saturday, Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry Susan Rodrigues pointed out that the project is a commitment made by the PPP/C Administration. After coming into office in 2020, it was found that only 20 per cent of the village was receiving potable water from a hand-dug well.
“We are always thinking of ways to improve our system and we always have your interests at heart,” she told the residents.
This and other investments in hinterland communities, the Minister said, are reflective of Government’s commitment towards meeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 6, which speaks to access to clean and potable water for all by 2030.
Guyana is well on its way to achieving this target five years earlier. This, she added, is demonstrated in the significant annual budgetary allocations being made in all sectors.
“All across the country, you can see work being done in every single sector for the improvement of lives,” the Minister added.
Also, on the occasion, the Regional Chairman, Bryan Allicock, lauded the project and its timely execution, noting that this will significantly add to the rapid development taking place in Region Nine.
“Region 9 is developing at a fast pace, and this is as a result of the Government’s intervention, we commit to the promises we deliver,” Allicock said.
The project was executed by R Kissoon Contracting Services and C&H Contracting Service.