GWI aims to restore high-quality water to central Georgetown by weekend

– mulls reduction in August bill amid disruption to service

Consumers have recently been experiencing disruptions to their water service because of high levels of turbidity and sedimentation at the Shelter Belt canal of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), but that public entity is working to remedy the problem by this weekend, and that would see citizens in central Georgetown accessing clean water thereafter.

The issue reportedly arose after GWI had dredged the East Demerara Water Conservancy, causing a buildup of sludge that contaminated its Shelter Belt and resulted in distribution of ‘rusty and unhealthy’ water to citizens.
During a press conference on Thursday, GWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaik Baksh explained that the issue had first been detected on July 15, but it had not been severe at that time. He said a technical team had immediately been dispatched to the conservancy, where it was observed that the sedimentation load coming through the Shelter Belt plant was extremely high. GWI had subsequently hired additional resources to clean the canals, while technicians in the laboratory had conducted tests to determine the issue.
According to Baksh, the system is constantly being flushed out, and by this weekend, the quality and availability of water would be returned to normalcy.
“Because of the dredging of that canal in the conservancy area during the drought — the long drought, the longest in years — a lot of sludge (had been) built up in the canal, and with the heavy rainfall, it moved down into our systems here, our reservoirs,” Baksh explained.
“We have strengthened our system inside. For example, every day we have been out there at the various wards to flush the water of the system as much as possible, and this is ongoing and we are seeing some relief. We have taken samples of the water regularly, and we have seen (that) through the flushing of the canals…the water quality, and the water colour in particular, is improving; but it will take a couple more (flushes) to bring it to acceptable normalcy,” he explained.
The water quality at the Shelter Belt plant would usually be around 15 to 20 units, but with the current occurrence, it went up to 400 units, he explained. The plant is usually cleaned once a year, but due to the existing situation, the GWI team would begin cleaning the system every six to eight months.
Further, Baksh explained that while the current issue is totally beyond the company’s control, there is need for greater coordination between the East Demerara Water Conservancy and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority. In this regard, he disclosed, GWI is considering reducing customers’ August bills amid the disruption to the service.
“We are prepared to look at that, and consider that to bring some relief to the customers during this period (wherein) they were affected…we will issue a statement on that at some point,” he promised.