Thousands of residents along the East Bank of Demerara now have access to an uninterrupted 24-hour water supply through the state-of-the-art modern water treatment plant at Caledonia.
President Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday commissioned the facility which was built to the tune of $700 million by Sigma Engineers Limited out of Bangladesh.
The water treatment plant was designed to provide eight million liters of water daily and will serve over 12,000 residents from New Hope to Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara.
During the construction phase, cutting-edge technology was utilised by local workers, setting new standards in the water industry.
It is one of the three new ones being constructed in Region 4 under the Water Treatment Infrastructure Programme and is equipped with a generator to provide water even when there are power outages.
In his remarks at the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal said the establishment of the water treatment plant is a transformative step in ensuring that more communities in Region 4 have access to clean and reliable water.
Croal said the facility will play a pivotal role in supporting industries and households contributing to the development of the country.
Over the past four years, Croal highlighted that the government has invested over 50 billion dollars to advance the water sector. For the same period, 28 wells were drilled and are completed or near completion in coastland areas.
“We believe in actions not just words and this plant is proof.
“This is only the beginning, we are building a Guyana where every home have access to clean water, where every family can grow and every family can flourish,” Croal said.
Outlining the vision for the sector, President Dr Irfaan Ali said in the coming years, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) would change “rapidly” and will become a national water management entity.
Currently, Dr Ali said 98.3 percent of the country’s population have access to water and there has been a 91 percent improved access in hinterland communities.
This, he said was achieved through major investment in water treatment plants, the drilling of hundreds of wells and other investments made to ensure that the system is built to support a future ahead.
Meanwhile, GWI Chief Executive Officer Shaik Baksh said that while the infrastructure is being built out to ensure access to water, measures will be put in place to ensure that it is effectively maintained.
Baksh said the aim is to ensure that over the next two to three years, the water quality being supplied will allow people to drink from their taps.
“It will be pure, treated, safe water for you the people,” Baksh said.
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