Hope Canal water reservoir project estimated to cost €55M

– Govt to source funding
– upon completing will serve 27,000 households along ECD

The Government of Guyana, in its efforts to improve water access for citizens across the country, is working assiduously to establish the Hope Canal as a water reservoir for the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
This was revealed by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, who provided an update on the project during a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Sunday.
According to Croal, the feasibility study for the Hope Canal has already been completed and the next step is to source funding for the project, which is estimated to cost some €55 million.
“The proposed budget we’re looking at is €55 million. So, we’ve done some initial studies and we have presented that proposal for funding.”
The Minister noted that “We have done the feasibility study to explore there [the Hope Canal] as a source [of water]. We’re looking to utilise there to service a population of about 27,000 persons that lies between De Hoop and Haslington which will include Cane View, and we’re trying to design and supply 24,000 cubic metres a day, long-term within the next…15 years.”
Studies for the Hope Canal began in 2022 to determine whether the water captured at the Hope Canal facility can be treated to be used as a sustainable source to serve the ECD corridor. It was noted that this initiative to reuse the Hope Canal water is necessary, as Guyana confronts climate change as well as responds to the growing demands for more service connections.
In fact, President Dr Irfaan Ali during his feature address at an event last March noted that, “We dump tens of thousands of gallons of water from the Hope Canal into the Atlantic. So, one of the projects that we’re currently doing is examining the feasibility of converting that water and treating that water so that it can meet the demand on the East Coast.
This project is also part of the Government’s plans to provide 100 per cent access to treated water on the coast by 2025.

Five and Seven Miles
The Guyana Water Inc (GWI), which falls under the purview of the Housing and Water Ministry is moving to establish a new water source to serve residents of the Five Miles Housing Scheme and the new housing development at Seven Miles, Bartica, Region Seven.

According to Minister Croal, the Ministry has already identified springs as their sources of water and the next step is to design the treatment facility and seek funding to complete the project.
“How it is right now, we have a source at Bartica but we have a housing scheme that goes all the way to Five Miles, and then now where we’re going to build houses, etc that’s more by Seven Miles. Within Five Miles, it has about 500 house lots there. We have found two new water sources…one in Five Miles and the other in Seven Miles. We’ve done some visits and we’re currently mapping out the area,” Croal told <<<Guyana Times>>>.
He unveiled they are hoping to tap into the Seven Miles water source as soon as November 2023, in hopes of having it completed by June 2024.
“We’re looking to tap into the Seven Mile water source by November…to have it completed by June of next year. We have determined the water source; we are designing the treatment facility for that and then we’ll have to move to secure funding.”
Bartica, the gateway to the interior, is a bustling town with a growing population. Cognisant of these developments, GWI is making every effort to provide improved services to residents of the township.

West Watooka
Meanwhile, plans for the West Watooka water treatment plant have currently been stalled as the Ministry explores other sources of water for this project. Croal told Guyana Times that studies have revealed that the Demerara River water is very acidic and as such would not serve as a good source of water for consumption.
“We tap into the Demerara River source, we found that it is very acidic so we’re looking at alternative sources that we can utilise…the Demerara River is [also] extremely turbulent in terms of the colour. We’re looking to tap into a source of fresh water to supply the West Watooka water treatment plant,” Croal said.
In 2021, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) executed several major upgrades and maintenance works to the five water treatment plants in Linden. It was highlighted that the treatment plants at Amelia’s Ward, West Watooka, Mackenzie, and Wisroc are functioning at a capacity reduction.
In the 2023 national budget, a sum of $13 billion was allocated for the construction and rehabilitation of several water treatment plants to improve the water supply for over 250,000 residents in several areas across the country. These areas include Onderneeming, Parika, Wales, La Parfaite Harmonie, Caledonia, Cummings Lodge, and Bachelor’s Adventure.
Further, 12 existing water treatment plants located at Vergenoegen, Fellowship, Pouderoyen, Eccles, Covent Garden, Grove, Better Hope, Mon Repos, Friendship, Cotton Tree, New Amsterdam, and Port Mourant will be rehabilitated. Water treatment plants will also be constructed at Charity to Walton Hall, Leguan, Wakenaam, Bush Lot, and Tain to No 50 Village. (Tassia Dickenson)