Rehabilitation imminent for Linden water treatments plants

…GWI says plants appear rundown, need repairs for effective performance

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) will be working to rehabilitate the five water treatment plants in Linden to ensure that residents continue to receive good quality water through their taps.

On Tuesday, GWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaik Baksh and a technical team visited Linden to assess the state of the water treatment plants. The team was able to visit the Wisroc, Linden Power Company (LPC) and Amelia’s Ward facilities and have hopes to return to visit the Mackenzie and West Watooka plants.

The Amelia’s ward facility is served by wells while the Wisroc and LPC plants have as their source of water, the Dakoura Creek and Demerara River respectively.

“Already I’ve made proposals, investment proposals in the 2021 budget and I am hopeful that I will get the monies so that we can commence as early as possible. It’s not looking good in some of the plants. It’s deteriorated. There’s need for pumps, some of the storage tanks are leaking and these things so I’m in a hurry to try and get the money to start improving the system here,” the CEO stated, in a release from GWI.

According to him, some of the plants appeared “run down” and as if much maintenance work wasn’t done over the years. However, part of GWI’s efforts is to provide 85 per cent access to treated water by 2025, as outlined in its Strategic Plan 2021-2025.

Baksh emphasized that GWI will be working to convene a meeting of all stakeholders to ensure that all are on board to implement the Dakoura Creek Watershed Management Plan. The clear-water creek currently serves as a water source for some 12,000 residents and the plan seeks to sustain this water source.

Meanwhile, GWI’s Head of Water Quality, Dr. Deon Anderson said that the water quality at the majority of the plants is within World Health Organisation (WHO) parameters. Therefore, he added, the company is working to ensure that there is continual improvement.

However, he acknowledged that some interventions are needed, such as the minimization of the use of chemicals, optimization of the filter media in some of the treatment facilities as well as the consideration of drilling a new well at the LPC Water Treatment Plant, all in keeping with the goal of producing high-quality water with a low production cost.

“We have heard the feedback from the community and we’re going to ensure that the water that comes through your taps will continue to be of good quality,” Dr. Anderson stated.

GWI’s Region 10 Manager, Rawle Friday said that the visit by the CEO and technical team augers well for the region in 2021. He expressed hope that the necessary capital investment will be made to rehabilitate the plants.

“As a Manager, one who has to manage a utility system, it is incumbent that the necessary maintenance be done, that the necessary injection of capital financing be done. Mr. Baksh would have mentioned some of those were missing over the last few years,” he added.

According to Mr. Friday, while Lindeners enjoy some level of service, the intention is to have the best of service.