$60M Water Quality Laboratory to be commissioned

The Agriculture Ministry has announced the completion of a state-of-the-art Water Quality Laboratory, which will be commissioned as soon as it is fully functional.
Stationed at the Hydromet Department at Brickdam, Georgetown, the project was listed at $60 million and is expected to boost the capacity to acquire and process data that is necessary to evaluate the quality of Guyana’s water resources.

According to Chief Hydromet Officer, Dr Garvin Cummings, the laboratory would further enhance the hydrometeorology services and carry out extensive duties as it relates to water resource management. This is one the areas where significant development is required.
“This laboratory is a very important and significant addition to the hydrological monitoring framework within the service. It adds to the existing resources that the service has for the monitoring of water quantity and places the Hydromet Department in a position to undertake its broader responsibilities for water resources management in Guyana,” he said.
The project commenced in 2018 and fulfils the mandate for national monitoring of water systems, which is clearly specified under the Water and Sewerage Act of 2002. Some of the other services will include testing water samples from surface and ground water and establishing a database for national water quality.
“Among the services to be performed, the Hydromet Department would possess the ability to facilitate the testing of water samples gathered from both ground and surface water sources to determine their quality, in addition to establishing a database for Guyana’s baseline national water quality. Such a database would support and inform environmental protection, infrastructural development and agriculture,” the Ministry stated.
Meanwhile, Junior Agriculture Minister Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, has dubbed this initiative as a medium for persons to access safe water that meets international standards.
“Essentially, water quality testing ensures that water is safe and meets local and international standards. This facility will offer internationally recognised testing procedures through detailed water sampling techniques and other technology to ensure water is safe for the purposes intended,” Minister Patterson-Yearwood said.
She mentioned that the facility will be commissioned in the near future, allowing for these services to be initiated. The Ministry has also announced early notices on water borne diseases and the link between water patterns to the quality.
“Among the services to be offered, the facility will also allow the Hydromet Department to issue early detection bulletins for water borne diseases, provide insight into the effects of water patterns on water quality and influence future policies in relation to the management of the country’s water resources.”