$700M water treatment plant commissioned at Caledonia

…to service 14,000 EBD residents

…as 6 water treatment plants in testing

A $700 million water treatment plant was on Sunday commissioned at Caledonia with the potential to service as much as 14,000 residents on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has plans to commission more such plants in various parts of the country.
During the commissioning ceremony, which saw President Dr Irfaan Ali, Minister of Housing and Water Colin Croal and Minister within that Ministry, Susan Rodrigues in attendance, it was revealed that the Government plans to construct another plant at Diamond, EBD, within the next two years, as well as another plant in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

According to President Ali, the plan is to eventually transition the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) into a national water management entity, able to ensure sustainable and greater coverage in the provision of its fresh water service. In addition to the plants in Diamond and Region Three, the President also announced that work on the Hope Canal Water Treatment facility will soon start.
“One important project, I think, would commence shortly – that is, the Hope Canal Water Treatment facility. We’re hoping to have one in Diamond and in Region Three. Wherever we’re dumping fresh water, we’re dumping expensive assets and we have to convert that asset into value,” President Ali explained.
The Hope Canal, or Northern Relief Channel, which is located at Hope/Dochfour, is a multi-component channel that allows excess water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) to be drained into the Atlantic Ocean via an eight-door sluice, so as to avoid overflowing and possible flooding.
The Hope Canal has been instrumental in preventing massive flooding along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) during the unprecedented May-June floods. As far back as 2021, the Government had announced that similar infrastructure would be constructed in other regions to curb devastating floods. These include Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Recognising the pressing challenges posed by climate change and the growing demand for clean drinking water, especially along the coast, the current Administration initiated a feasibility study back in 2022 to assess the potential of utilising and treating the water captured at the Hope Canal facility as a sustainable source to serve the ECD corridor.

More treatment plants
GWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaik Baksh, in his presentation, explained that the water treatment plant at Caledonia, constructed by Sigma Engineers Limited from Bangladesh, has the current capacity to provide treated water to 12,000 persons from new Hope to Soesdyke, with the potential to serve 14,000 persons. And while the plant was designed to provide 6.3 mega litres (ML) of water per day, it is actually providing over 7 ML per day.
“And it will be expanded as the population grows, to provide over 8 mega litres of treated water. It really is a significant achievement by Sigma, because they’ve increased the capacity based on the design of the plant,” he further explained.
Baksh meanwhile also revealed that the agency is actually ahead of its target of 90 per cent treated water for the coastal population of Guyana by the close of 2025, since this target is likely to be achieved by June. Baksh explained that the Caledonia plant is actually the first of seven large treatment plants which have been constructed, with six of these plants already completed and in testing.
Meanwhile, upgrades have been done at the water treatment plant at Eccles, including the digging of a new well. Meanwhile, upgrades to the plant at Coven Garden were also done, while upgrades have also been completed at Grove. All three upgraded plants, according to the CEO, will be commissioned by this month end. In addition, over 30 kilometres of pipelines will be completed in the next two months.
And when it comes to the surface water treatment plant at Diamond, Baksh confirmed that the plan is to construct this facility within the next two years. He also revealed the financing sources that are being explored, including from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
“Plans are (already) on the way and we will have the Inter-American Development Bank and JICA very likely funding that new – very large water treatment plant at Diamond,” the GWI Head said.
Back in November, plans to have the Japanese financing body fund the new treatment plant at Diamond was unveiled by Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal. At the time, he had explained that both JICA and IDB were collaborating with the Government on the project.
Under the Coastal Water Treatment Programme (2021-2025), Government is aiming to achieve 90 per cent treated water coverage along the coastline by the end of this year. At the Ministry’s 2024 year-end press conference earlier this month, Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, disclosed that GWI is on track to achieving this goal. (G3)