New wells for Diamond, Sparendaam, Sophia by August

New wells are to be drilled at Diamond, Sparendaam and Sophia.

They should provide improved water quality and services to the residents in these areas.
A contract to the tune of 552,855 euros was on Thursday signed between the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and the Dutch firms of De Ruiter Doringen and Rook South-American BV for the construction of the wells. The signing took place in the boardroom of GWI, Vlissengen Road and Church Street, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said in a release.
Signing the contract were GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles; De Ruiter Doringen Managing Director Frans Heinis and Rook South-American BV Managing Director Martin Bloemscheer and other representatives of GWI.
The three wells are to be completed within a 12- week period commencing June 1 and will be constructed employing drilling technologies new to Guyana that would significantly increase their yield and efficiency.  Dr West-Charles explained that this was necessary to meet the demand for the service from communities such as Diamond and Sophia that have large populations.
The agreement provides for De Ruiter Doringen to drill the wells and for Rook South-American BV to develop them.
The contract also covers onsite training for GWI engineers and local contractors. Dr West-Charles explained that this was to ensure an increase in local technical capacity.
“We recognise that there is a need for Guyanese contractors to be updated on well drilling technologies and so; one of the things that we shall be doing in every step of the way is to ensure that Guyanese contractors are exposed to the new drilling techniques, while at the same time GWI will also be seeking to ensure that it has in-house capability,” Dr Van West-Charles said.
About a dozen local contractors and GWI engineers are set to benefit under the agreement.
Since last year, the water company initiated the process of familiarising its staff with the new approaches to well drilling.  Dr Van West- Charles recalled that in 2016, a number of employees from GWI attended a special well drilling workshop in the United States of America that focused on several areas, including the drilling of new wells and the geology of well development.
Another group of GWI staff will be undertaking the training this year, GWI’s Managing Director said.
In the construction of the wells, De Ruiter Doringen will be advancing the tried and tested reverse circulation drilling technology.
Managing Director Heinis explained that the company has been using the technology for over 50 years in the Netherland and for over 10 years in Suriname.  He said that since the soil conditions in these countries were similar to those of Guyana, the drilling technique should be easily applied here.
The reverse circulation well drilling system is used for large diameter wells on loose alluvial soils. It consists of returning the drilled material and flushing medium to the surface inside the drill pipes.
Meanwhile, the Rook South-American BV Managing Director said that the company was happy to work with GWI on the infrastructure and operational service improvement, which he assured, would result in “increased capacity and reduced cost” to the water company. “It is good that the local contractors can benefit from this as well,” Bloemscheer said.