Ongoing drainage works to strengthen flood prevention during current rainy season

Drainage works are ongoing across the city for the December rains, including the cleaning of Church Street, Cummings Canal outfall, Ruimveldt South inlet and outlet, and Sussex Street inlet channels. Excavations continued on Saturday night at the Church Street canal inlet and outfall to improve water flow and reduce flooding. This comes as extensive desilting works began over the past week along several key drainage channels in Georgetown, as the Government undertakes efforts to reinforce the capital city’s flood prevention infrastructure. Led by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) under the Ministry of Agriculture, the intervention aims to improve the rate at which water is discharged from the city, particularly during heavy rainfall and high tides.
The work will clear the channels by removing silt that has blocked water flow. The build-up has been a major contributor to localised flooding in both commercial and residential areas. These works form part of a wider programme to strengthen Georgetown’s ability to cope with heavy rainfall. This initiative aligns with President Ali’s clean city initiative, a comprehensive Georgetown Restoration Plan also known as the “city rescue plan” or “city revival plan”. It aims to restore Georgetown to its historic status as the “Garden City of the Caribbean” through nationwide clean-up exercises, infrastructure development and behavioural change campaigns. The intensified flood-prevention push comes on the heels of several hours of heavy rainfall in Georgetown, which left sections of the city waterlogged and triggered widespread public concern. Sections of Main Street and other affected districts were reportedly flooded, which caused traffic backups, submerged pavements and forced pedestrians onto roadways.
The recent installation of a drainage pump ahead of the Christmas Village event was not sufficient to counter the intensity of the rainfall, leading to drains overflowing in the area. Several Georgetown neighbourhoods, including Bel Air Park, Regent Street, Avenue of the Republic, Smyth Street, Quamina Street and sections of Lombard and High Streets, experienced significant pooling. In flood-prone zones, clogged drains filled with bottles and waste further hampered water flow. While areas along the lower East Coast of Demerara (ECD) also saw considerable water accumulation, conditions there were less severe than in the city. Floodwaters gradually receded once rainfall subsided.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha had stressed that while the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) carry certain responsibilities for urban drainage maintenance, the central Government continues to intervene where necessary to ensure pumps are functional and critical infrastructure remains in working order.