The Guyana Water Inc (GWI) has commissioned an $82 million PAT rig to strengthen local capacity to undertake well drilling projects in the hinterland regions of Guyana.
Officials of GWI and the Ministry of Housing and Water as the new PAT rig is commissioned
The commissioning of the rig was held at GWI headquarters in Georgetown and was witnessed by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, Chief Executive Officer Shaik Baksh, and other senior officials.
GWI employees are being trained to use the new rig, which will be deployed to Silver Hill, Capoey, and the Pomeroon to undertake well drilling projects.
With three rigs at its disposal, GWI’s work on well drilling is expected to accelerate and complement the efforts of private contractors. Minister Croal stated that access to water is guaranteed by the Government, and the newly acquired rig is a step closer in that direction.
The Government has been pumping resources into the villages with the aim of achieving 100 per cent potable water access in the hinterland and riverine communities by 2025. In order to achieve this access in Region Two, the rig will begin drilling wells in several villages along the Pomeroon River.
This year, almost $18 billion will be spent through a budgetary allocation to develop Guyana’s water sector. As part of the Government’s strategy to improve water access 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, including a number of wells on the coast to increase access to potable water.
