$60M water distribution network at Karisparu 60 per cent completed – Croal

…Govt to build 10 homes for vulnerable individuals in village

Karisparu, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), is set to benefit from the Government’s Hinterland Housing and Hinterland Water Supply Programmes as the Housing and Water ministry implement a new water distribution system for residents. The establishment of this water distribution system is part of the government’s efforts to achieve 100% access to potable water in the hinterland by 2025.
Housing Minister, Collin Croal, and Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai met with villagers last week to discuss developments in the area, following a separate memorial service to commemorate the Mahdia School Dorm Fire.

According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, Croal said that in 2020, only about 40 per cent of Region Eight had access to potable water. For Karisparu, the minister noted that the drilling of a well in the village was initially planned last year. However, logistical challenges arose due to the village’s geographical location, making it difficult to transport the heavy drilling rig. In the interim, $60 million was allocated for a trestle and catchment system with distribution networks, following consultations with villagers. According to the DPI report, he further noted that with better access to the area due to the reopening of the airstrip, the contractor will be able to transport more materials into the area.
Residents were informed that more water tanks will be added to the two tanks currently in the system. The minister highlighted to residents that overall, a total of $60 million was invested into developing the new water distribution system which is set to be completed by June. “We then put in the trestle system where we are investing about $60 million overall…We are putting in a catchment to catch the water from your creek and then, we will run the distribution system. We are about 60 per cent works completed…By the mid-June, we will implement that completely,” he stated.
Croal emphasised that the expansion of the water supply coverage prioritises areas with schools, health centers, and other public buildings before extending to individual home connections. Additionally, the minister stated that despite implementation of the new water distribution system he still intends on drilling a well in the area to help further bolster the water distribution system.
Overall, a total of $1.5 billion has been budgeted to improve water services in the hinterland regions for 2024.Over the past three and a half years, some $526 million has been spent to advance water access in region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
The investment is expected to increase to some $650 million by the end of this year. It was noted that with these investments, the region’s water coverage will move to about 90 per cent by the end of the year.
Meanwhile under the Hinterland Housing Programme, Croal announced that consultations will begin for the construction of 10 homes in Karisparu. The Village Council and residents will play a key role in identifying the most vulnerable individuals in the village to receive these homes. Other communities set to benefit from the housing programme will be identified later this year. The Hinterland Housing Program aims to construct homes in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven(Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Several homes have already been completed and handed over to families in Regions One and Nine.