Strategic plan for countrywide water supply shortly – Van West-Charles

… to be reviewed, approved by GWI Board of Directors

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is sometimes cited by members of the public as a utility company with woeful service. But the company has prepared a countrywide strategic plan to improve its water provision service.
This is according to Managing Director of GWI, Dr Richard Van West-Charles, who was at the time speaking following the completion of a contract for new water treatment facilities. He noted that these plants, as well as upgrades currently being carried out, are all part of this plan.
“This falls right within the strategic plan for GWI,” he said. “And later in this month you will be informed more of the other aspects that we will bring to the table once the Board would have approved the strategic plan for GWI.”
Georgetown Mayor, Patricia Chase Green, is the Chairperson of that Board, after taking over from accountant Nigel Hinds. The other members who were appointed back in 2015 are engineer Charles Ceres, Permanent Secretary of the Communities Ministry, Emil McGarrel, David Dewar, Carol Joseph, Savitri Singh-Sharma, Ryan Belgrave and Samantha Fedee from the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry.
While Van West-Charles was tight-lipped about the strategic plan highlights, the Government’s 2017 mid-year report certainly went into details about plans for the water company.
According to the report, Government expended $463 million of the budgeted $2.8 billion during the first half of 2017. It details that work on the construction of a well at Diamond commenced in the first half and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
In addition, the report stated that construction of wells at Westminster, Pouderoyen, and Vergenoegen are expected to commence in the second half. Meanwhile, hinterland regions are also targeted for improved access to water before the end of 2017, with works on new water systems already underway in Matthew’s Ridge, Yarakita, and Tassarene.
The installation of a water supply system at Chenapou is also expected to commence and will be completed in the second half. Assessments of existing infrastructure are reportedly also being conducted and will guide the decision to upgrade or construct a new well at New Amsterdam.
The quality of water supplied is also expected to improve before the end of the year, with works already commencing at the New Amsterdam Water Treatment Plant to install filters and aerators. Works are expected to be completed by the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The report also details plans for improvements to quality assurance systems, with the construction of a mini-laboratory at the Eccles Water Treatment Plant which is expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter.
Further, there is a Non-Revenue Water Reduction Programme whereby the Government is planning to transition to smart metering to enhanced security and reporting. This, according to the report, will be facilitated through the installation of improved customer management information and billing software.
Providing an update on the metering initiative, the report states that the drive resulted in 10,000 new meters being installed in the first half. There are expectations that there will be a push to double it by the end of the year.