North Rupununi villages benefit from potable water supply

The North Rupununi villages of Wowetta, Aranaputa and Annai, Region Nine have benefitted from increased levels of potable water, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) said Monday.

On Sunday, Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal visited the three communities and committed to providing potable water across the Region.

Residents of Wowetta are now benefitting from a new water supply system, which has provided 24-hour water supply to more than 95 per cent of the community; approximately 400 residents.

A new well was drilled by GWI and has been complemented by a distribution network, an elevated storage unit, and new photovoltaic system through a project undertaken by the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) to the tune of some $27M. The project was designed to supply the residents with their own private service connections at the household level.

Minister Croal assured that another 200 meters of pipeline will be installed and that will bring water access to the entire community. He expressed confidence that the system will serve the community well, while adding that they are looking to replicate the infrastructure in other communities.

Wowetta resident, Judith Moses expressed gratitude for the community’s new water supply system, noting that residents now have sufficient water.

She previously accessed water from a hand dug well and highlighted that with the new system, she now has access to a better quality of water in a more convenient way. The resident added that work is being done to educate the residents about the efficient use of the water.

Senior Councilor, Ornold thanked the GWI for providing his community with 24-hour access to water. He said that this intervention is timely, given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, in Aranaputa, GWI had drilled a well to supply the residents with access to potable water. That well is now being complemented with a distribution network, elevated storage and an upgraded Photovoltaic system, to provide a 24-hour supply of water to the 600 residents of the community.

This $30M project which is being executed through the BNTF is expected to be completed within the next three weeks. Upon completion, the water access coverage is expected to be increased from 20 per cent to 100 per cent.

In Annai, GWI recently activated a new well, which is providing potable water to a section of the community, which includes the hospital.

GWI is scheduled to drill another well in the community before year end, which will benefit some 500 residents.

Minister Croal said when the well is drilled, GWI will be interlinking the system while noting that a request will be made under the 2021 budget to facilitate further works to the distribution network.

Further, funds will be sought for the construction of a new trestle in the community since the current one is in disrepair and has structural issues.

Croal assured that by the end of the first quarter of 2021, all of Annai will be interconnected and will receive a constant supply of water.