Belle Vue residents fume over high iron content in water

Residents of Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara (WBD), having been forced to use water that is high in iron content, have lashed out at the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) for not addressing their water woes despite numerous complaints.

One resident, who said he was now frustrated with the situation, took to social media in a bid to gain positive attention to hopefully have the situation rectified.
According to the villager, who has been living in the area for over 20 years, the water has been discoloured for as long as he can remember.
“Since I was small, this thing has been happening, but for the past two months like it get worse. Every day the water coming through our taps is orange. We can’t even wash our clothes, bathe or cook with it, much less drink it,” he stated.
The resident said several complaints have been made to GWI and even the Government, but to no avail. “We went to complain to GWI and they said they can’t do anything about it. A while back a representative for Minister (Joseph) Harmon was here and we complained to him, but nothing has been done till now,” he related.
Hundreds of residents so far are affected, according to him, as the Belle Vue pump station supplies water to about four villages on the West Bank of Demerara.
The frustrated man told Guyana Times that GWI workers would usually visit the area after a complaint is made to “flush out” the high-iron water to prevent it from reaching the taps of villagers. However, this method is not proving to be feasible as the situation is becoming worse by the day.
This publication was told that villagers were now taking the matter into their own hands by opening their pressure pipes to allow the “orange water” out before it reaches their taps.
Housewives have complained that the high iron content in the water has been staining their bath tubs and sinks as well as their toilets. “Every day now we does got to clean because the water coming out with a set of thing and when it settle it staining up all we sink and so,” a villager noted.
The residents are contending that they are posted a hefty bill every month for a service that has not been acceptable and are demanding a solution from the water company.
GWI is responsible for ensuring that safe, clean water is accessible. Several calls made to the agency’s representatives were futile on Monday. In January of this year, the types of pipes used were highlighted as one of the root causes for discoloured water. It was explained that cast iron pipes can pose health risks as the metal corrodes.
Over the years, many Guyanese have been dealing with “reddish” water –largely a result of heavy iron content – coming through their taps.
GWI noted at that time that to prevent iron in ground water, it may have to reach a depth of some 2000 feet. It was further explained that over $600 million was spent on chemicals to make the water potable using imported materials from countries like Canada and China, but GWI went on to say that it would also work to reduce the amount spent on acquiring chemicals in 2019.