GWI pump stations unequipped with backup power

The majority of the pump stations which are operated by the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) are not equipped with generators or any other backup power supply in the event of a power outage.
This was related by GWI Operations Director Dwayne Shako, who noted that only about 15 per cent of the stations could supply water when there was a power outage.
As a result, thousands of persons in highly-populated communities are affected when blackouts occur.
“The only locations that are equipped with generators are treatment plants and then we have major pump stations like at Diamond and Parfaite [Harmonie]. In those areas, say if the pump station cuts off, we have areas where thousands of people are affected, big distribution networks. Just around 15 per cent of our pump stations have standby power.”
Catering for emergencies, GWI Managing Director Richard Van West-Charles indicated, that the utility company has made proposals to the Government for the placement of generators at pump stations serving densely populated regions. He explained that with the absence of power, the company was unable to pump water during fires and other unfavourable circumstances.
“It’s as a result of this, in our proposal for support from the Government of Guyana, we’re seeking to purchase some additional generator sets for the large populated areas because the impact in terms of those areas, both from the point of view of security. In some cases, if a fire were to break out in these highly-populated areas, if we haven’t got a generator set there, we are unable to pump if there is a blackout.”
Meanwhile, Shako stated that they have introduced a new intervention to maintain the water pressure level, whereby the real-time pressure of the water could be detected at any time.
In the past, it was related that customers would have to report these incidents. Now, as soon as the level drops beyond a predefined mark, a team is dispatched to the location.
“Before now, we had a situation where we had to wait on customers to say that they’re receiving water or they have low pressure. Then we have to dispatch an operator who have to ride sometimes three [or] four miles with a motorcycle or vehicle only to find out there was a blackout and sometimes before you reach, the pump station comes on back again. In this case, we’re able to monitor real time and we have some information to understand what is happening,” he said.
“Once the pressure goes beyond a certain level at night and it drops below a predefined level, we send out a team. Sometimes, it might be just a simple power outage or low voltage in that area. We have operators that work shift 24 hour so we will dispatch one of the operators to site, he then does an assessment to see what is the issue,” he said.
In most cases, a power outage is the main cause of the disruption in supply.
“Many times, it’s just an issue of poor power quality. We have blackout. We have low voltage and so on.”
The company operates 141 pump stations on the coast and over 400 wells in the hinterland.