Gy$83M contract signed to rehabilitate Kwakwani water plant

Gy$83 million contract was signed on July 22 between the Guyana Water Inc and ASH Civil Engineering Works for the rehabilitation of the Kwakwani water treatment plant.

Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI), Nigel Niles, signed the contract on behalf of GWI, while Alvin Hanover signed for the contractor.

The old plant has been providing water to the more-than 3,000 residents in the community; however, the need has arisen for the plant to be rehabilitated due to age and increases in the population.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, the project will be executed in three phases: rehabilitation of the current plant; installation of two kilometres of PVC distribution mains; and installation of over 1,500 household service connections, thereby eliminating the use of public stand pipes. Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali, in his address, noted that during the last visit to the community, in 2010, some critical issues were raised, including the state of the water sector, primarily the distribution system and the water treatment plant.

“At that time, we assured you that we would seek to have the necessary steps taken to find the resources within the national budget to execute this project,” Minister Ali stated. He recognised that such tasks are costly, hence most times they are determined by cost efficiency, which has built into them a component for rate returns. “We (government) believe strongly in social investment; we believe that every community and family, every Guyanese must have equal access and opportunities for education, health care, housing and water. These are all critical indicators of development – social and economic – because these are the social necessities of life that directly impact your quality of life,” Minister Ali said.

He emphasised that government believes that investment must be geared towards transforming the lives of people, which will ultimately change society and also create opportunities. However, no investment can be feasible or viable if it is not sustainable. “We understand the peculiar circumstances of various communities across the country; so, for communities like these, viability in the first instance does not depend primarily on returns. However, the cost of providing the service is severely affected by our own actions,” Minister Ali pointed out.

He emphasised that, across Guyana, government subsidises the operational cost of water by more than 65 per cent, and a lot of that cost goes towards energy consumption. Hence he urged that residents work towards changing their attitude in the manner in which they utilise these services.

The project does not include installation of service meters, and in this regard, the first approach is to educate the community on the proper usage of water and conservation, so that the system is sustainable.

He emphasised that while the investment would bring better quality and flow of water to the residents, and does not have meters, it becomes even more important that residents work towards changing their attitudes, behaviours, and culture towards this social investment.

Minister Ali pointed to government’s investments in the water sector in Region 10, where, over the last five years, more than Gy$700 million has been invested; while, over the next five years, Linden and its surrounding communities will see a further Gy$3 billion being invested. Only recently, a US$12.3 million contract was signed for the modernisation of the Region Ten water distribution system.

“The objective of these is to take the percentage of people having access to treated water from 45 per cent today to close to 70 per cent in the next five years. Nationally, that figure moved from 25 per cent in 2006 to 45 per cent today, and 98 per cent of the population along the coastland have access to potable water,” GINA quoted Ali as saying.

As it relates to housing in the community, Minister Ali reiterated assurances given during his visit last year to examine the various possibilities, including having dialogue with the Lands and Surveys Department on the best approach forward.

Region Ten Vice Chairman Samuel Hooper noted that any act of kindness and responsibility is always accepted with gratitude from the level of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), and he expressed appreciation to the ministry and government for the project.

This project will see improved level of service for the community, improved access to potable water, and a spinoff of socio-economic benefits.