The Guyana Water Incorporated [GWI] has identified another two schools in need of urgent cleaning, as it continues to test and monitor the water quality in schools countrywide. They are Alexander Village nursery and Precious Jewel nursery.
Whilst these locations require urgent attention, GWI has proposed that routine cleaning of the school tanks is recommended at all locations to prevent any growth of pathogenic organisms. During a recent meeting with Ministry of Education officials, it was decided that all tanks must be cleaned twice a year (i.e once every six months).
The Ministry of Education has since commenced cleaning at some of the schools under the supervision of its engineers and GWI’s Head of Water Quality, Mr. Deon Anderson. Subsequent to the cleaning of the tanks, they were disinfected with calcium hypochlorite to eradicate any residual microbial growth and water samples were taken from the tanks and tested so as to determine the effectiveness of the cleaning.
However, the C-Field Sophia nursery was cleaned unsupervised prior to the re-opening of the school. Water samples were taken to compare the effectiveness of supervised versus unsupervised cleaning. It was found that at the two schools where the cleaning was supervised, the water quality results were free of E. coli. However, in the case of C-Field nursery, where there was unsupervised cleaning and no subsequent disinfection, the results yielded a high number of E.Coli (10 coliforms per 100ml). Hence the tanks at C Field Sophia nursery need further cleaning and/ or disinfection.
GWI therefore recommends that all cleaning exercises at schools be conducted under supervision.
To date, the water quality has been monitored at ALL nursery and primary schools in Georgetown. Based on the list provided by the Ministry of Education, there are 29 Primary and 32 nursery schools in the City.
Testing has also been extensively carried out in Linden, Region 10. To date 16 nursery schools and eigght primary schools have been monitored.
GWI’s Water Quality department will continue to monitor the various locations on a monthly basis, covering all the schools countrywide, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, ensure that excellent water quality is maintained even after storage in school tanks.