Guywa moving to supply water to all Berbicians by year-end
By Daniel DaCosta
Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Authority (GUYWA), Karan Singh says he expected that by the end of 2001 all Berbicians should be receiving a reasonable supply of potable water at ground level. In an effort to achieve this objective, GUYWA completed 39 projects in the region at a cost of approximately $400 million last year and intends to complete another 17 by December at a cost of some $250 million. The ongoing projects involve the laying of some 166 miles of pipelines on the Corentyne from Crabwood Creek to Kortberaad on the East Bank Berbice, including Black Bush Polder and East Canje Berbice. The final phase of the New Amsterdam water supply project, which includes the laying of 38.2 miles of pipelines is now slated for completion by the end of March or early April at a cost of some $300 million. On Monday, Singh and a team of senior officers met chairmen and overseers from the region's 16 neighbourhood democratic councils (NDCs) and officials of the regional administration. According to the CEO some 36 villages with a total population of approximately 72,000 people will benefit from the ongoing and completed projects. The Rose Hall water supply project, which will benefit some 50,000 residents in villages between Fyrish and Whim, he disclosed, was expected to be completed by May at a cost of US$10 million. Apart from this, the authority recently commissioned a $25 million well at Rose Hall to supply the new treatment plant. Announcing plans to expand and improve supply in the near future the CEO said: "We are looking at the possibilities of installing a solar system at Mara on the East Bank to serve approximately 400 residents. We are also looking at installing a solar system and a new distribution system at Orealla on the Corentyne River." Singh also disclosed that the Sisters distribution system was to be extended from Edinburgh to Kortberaad, while the authority gears to take over all of the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund Committee's (SILWFC) systems by the end of the year and the Linden operations. "We also intend to install a massive water treatment plant at Corriverton, perhaps by the year 2003, to link-up with the Rose Hall project and to service Crabwood Creek and maybe Moleson Creek," he told the local authority leaders. "It is our intention to install treatment plants throughout Guyana as we seek to provide a service of higher quality through treated water." The NDC officials raised concerns over low-pressure, wastage, slow responses to requests for assistance and delays in connections even though payments were made by consumers.
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