GWI to increase treated water in coastal areas to 85%

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has crafted a new five-year strategic plan for the period of 2021-2025. Included in the plan is a target to achieve 85 per cent treated water coverage in coastal areas as compared to 53 per cent in 2019.
According to the utility company, this plan also sets out to achieve 100 per cent access to potable water countrywide by 2025. Based on baseline data from 2019, 96 per cent of the population has access to potable water.

The programmatic areas of the plan are organisation and management, non-revenue water, water production, distribution and quality, finance and customer services, and sanitation.
One of the key performance indicators of the strategic plan is 85 per cent metering by 2025 compared to 53 per cent in 2019. Already, GWI is expected to receive 26,000 meters by April 2021, upon which time installation will commence.
Water meters not only aid customers in the monitoring of their water consumption but also allow the company to control the demand for this valuable resource.
Other performance indicators include reducing non-revenue water from 70 per cent in 2019 to 55 per cent in 2025, achieving 100 per cent billing for customers and 100 per cent resolution to customer services and sewerage-related complaints.
According to GWI’s Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh, quarterly reports will be submitted to the Board of Directors on the achievements of the targets.
“The strategic plan provides enhanced strategic focus to achieve improved operational efficiency and productivity in the face of expanding economic opportunities and improving quality of life for all Guyanese,” he stated.
On Friday, Baksh met with managers from across the regions to give them the charge for 2021 and to discuss the strategic plan and how its targets will allow the company to fulfil the mandate of the Government.
He told the managers that both the Government and the Board of Directors have high expectations of GWI.
The CEO spoke of the need for better coordination and a stronger relationship between the operations and customer services teams in the respective regions to effectively cater to the needs of the customers.