As part of continued efforts by Guyana Water Incorporated [GWI] to identify and bring relief to communities without access to potable water, Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles and a team of technical officials visited Mabaruma, Region One to gain a sense of the situation there.
The team met with members of the Regional Democratic Council, Mabaruma Settlement Community Development Council, Mabaruma Town Council and community residents with a view of ensuring an adequate supply of water to residents.
Chairman of the Mabaruma Settlement CDC, Mr. Daniels explained that the Mabaruma Settlement, also referred to as the Sheba Settlement, has been without water for over 26 years, as efforts under the former administration have gone in vain.
Dr. Van West-Charles noted that the utility’s intention is to fulfill His Excellency David Granger’s mandate of guaranteeing equity among all Guyanese. Therefore, water access in the Interior Region should be on par with that of the coastland.
He assured that GWI will work with the Region to provide relief to the settlement through the construction of a catchment area at the Arawak Pond and a trestle. This will be equipped with storage tanks and a pump. Works will also include the implementation of a chlorination system, installation of an electro-mechanical system and distribution network, among other things.
The Town Council has committed to providing manual labour and an excavator, which are necessary for the execution of the project.
Meanwhile, the GWI officials also informed the Town Council that works are advancing on the Hosororo Falls, which will be utilised as an additional source to increase the service in Central Mabaruma. A catchment area, reservoir and new pumping station have been constructed nearby the fall and a treatment system is being built to complete the water supply system.
GWI has also committed to improving service provided to residents of Morawhanna and Smith Creek. At Smith Creek, GWI met with the Toshao and residents and promised to install a trestle with storage tanks to aid in rainwater harvesting, which will be fed to an existing C2 Lifesaver water purification system. The community is expected to begin fish processing activities and therefore, access to potable water is critical. In addition, the utility will explore the possibility of activating an existing well in the Morawhanna community to serve as an alternative source for this community.
