Govt secured CDB funding to construct 6 new water treatment plants in 2023

…hundreds of community roads to be fixed by mid-year – Min. Rodrigues

The Housing and Water Ministry aims to continue making a positive impact on the lives of citizens across the country by addressing various frustrations they face with regard to community roads and water quality and access.
This was noted by Minister within the Ministry Susan Rodrigues during a televised programme on Wednesday during which she revealed that in the new year, hundreds of community roads will be fixed, new water treatment plants will be established, and access to potable water across the country will be expanded.
Rodrigues reminded that the government has rolled out a massive road upgrade programme whereby 1200 roads were tendered through the collaboration of the Ministries of Housing, Public Works, and Local Government and Regional Development.
“I know that a lot of people, especially on the East Bank (of Demerara) corridor in some of our housing schemes…Providence, Covent Garden, Peter’s Hall, Farm. I know a lot of people in those communities complain a lot about the state of the roads in those housing schemes, but I can assure you that we’ve gone out for tender for 1200 roads, 600 of which have been awarded already and works will commence very shortly,” she explained.
The others, she noted, are in the process of evaluation and subsequent award.
“So, people will see a great relief by mid next year, there will be a tremendous relief among people in our housing schemes and across the regions because this was a project that we undertook across several regions. So, Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 will see upgrades throughout their regions within communities,” Minister Rodrigues emphassied.
According to her, the government will continue to do “everything we can to address the state of roads in existing schemes, in building new road networks to ensure that we open new lands for housing, we are working assiduously to ensure that we improve the water that you are receiving in your homes.”
As it stands, the country is at 99 per cent access to water on the coastland and the goal is to increase this to 100 per cent soon.
The Minister also recognised that persons on the coastland face woes with regard to access to treated water – something which the government is also working assiduously to address.
Currently, the coastland coverage for treated water stands at 52 per cent and the goal is to reach 90 per cent by 2025.
Minister Rodrigues revealed that the government had conducted an analysis in all coastland regions to identify gaps as it relates to water treatment plants. She said it was determined that 13 new plants will be needed to meet the 90 per cent coverage by 2025.
“We have seen over the last few months, we were able to sign contracts for the construction of seven new water treatment plants, so this will significantly improve access to treated water once those seven new water treatment plants have been constructed,” she noted.
According to the Minister, funding has already been secured from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for the remaining six water treatment plants – contracts for which will be signed in the new year.
Minister Rodrigues also noted that contracts have been signed to upgrade about a dozen existing water treatment plants with the aim of producing better quality water for communities.