Drilling of the well at Bamia on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway is expected to be completed by September of this year, moving closer towards first-time potable water access for residents.
Works ongoing to create a new well at Tigerbone Banakari
After drilling is completed, work will commence on laying of the distribution system in the community. This exercise is slated for completion before year-end. When these works are completed, the more than 220 residents will receive clean water to their homes.
Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Shaik Baksh visited the community as the project continues, where he interacted with residents. Many of them praised Government’s delivery of the promise made to deliver potable water access.
Meanwhile, over at Tigerbone Banakari along the highway, another 260 residents are on course to receive potable water for the first time.
The drilling of another well there is progressing smoothly, and every effort is being made to have it completed before the community’s heritage celebration next month.
The Government has allotted $1.4 billion this year to drill wells and establish water distribution networks in the hinterland region. The objective is to attain 100 per cent water access for residents in these parts of Guyana by 2025. This is five years earlier than what is set out by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
To expedite access to potable water for residents, over $15 billion has been expended to make this a reality.
Overall, 97 per cent of Guyana’s population has access to clean potable water. However, for the hinterland and riverine communities, there is 75 per cent coverage and by the end of 2023, with investments being made, the coverage will increase to 83 per cent. This is up from 45 per cent before Government took office.
Meanwhile, GWI is looking to establish 40 new wells and 30 water supply systems in hinterland regions this year, as part of the Government’s agenda to ensure every household is provided with potable water.
Once completed, these facilities would serve approximately 12,000 residents. Some 7000 residents are already receiving first-time access to potable water in their homes
Across the country, 7000 households received first-time access to potable water in 2022. This was made possible with the commissioning of a number of wells across the country. Residents of the hinterland received first-time access with the commissioning of 20 water treatment systems at Aranaputa, Rupertee, Wowetta, Rupununi, Jawalla, Shulinab and Annai among others.
