New facilities for Diamond & Region 3 to treat fresh water – Pres. Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali has disclosed plans construction water treatment plants at Diamond, East Bank Demerara and in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) to treat fresh water as part of efforts to reduce waste.

The Head of State made these announcements while speaking at the commissioning of a $700 million Water Treatment Plant at Caledonia, EBD this afternoon.

According to President Ali, efforts are underway to transition the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) over the coming years into a national water management entity that will be focusing on sustainability.

In fact, he noted that the GWI management has already received the mandate to ensure there is greater use of fresh water in the water management system.

“One important project, I think, would commence shortly – that is, the Hope Canal Water Treatment facility. We’re hoping to have one in Diamond and in Region Three. Wherever we’re dumping fresh water, we’re dumping expensive assets and we have to convert that asset into value,” President Ali posited.

The Hope Canal along the East Coast Demerara was built by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government in 2013 to facilitate drainage from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) into the Atlantic Ocean.

Recognising the pressing challenges posed by climate change and the growing demand for clean drinking water, especially along the coast, the current Administration initiated a feasibility study back in 2022 to assess the potential of utilising and treating the water captured at the Hope Canal facility as a sustainable source to serve the ECD corridor.

Also commenting on this new ‘surface water treatment plant’ at Diamond, Chief Executive Officer of GWI, Shaik Baksh, revealed this facility will be constructed within the next two years. He added that financing has also been sourced.

“Plans are [already] on the way and we will have the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) very likely funding that new – very large water treatment plant at Diamond,” the GWI Head stated during today’s commissioning ceremony.

Back in November, plans to have the Japanese financing body fund the new treatment plant at Diamond was unveiled by Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal.

“Presently, the Government of Guyana, the IDB, and Japan are collaborating on a project for the construction of a water treatment plant at Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara. Once implemented, this project will reduce our dependency on some of our water sources, while providing a more reliable supply of water to residents on the East Bank of Demerara,” Croal had explained.

Under the Coastal Water Treatment Programme (2021-2025), Government is aiming to achieve 90% treated water coverage along the coastline by the end of this year.

At the ministry’s 2024 year-end press conference earlier this month, Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, disclosed that GWI is on track to achieving this goal.

She noted that at the end of last year, 52% of customers were being served by water treatment plants across the country.

According to Rodrigues, this figure will be significantly enhanced throughout this year with the construction of seven new large water treatment plants – all of which are currently under construction and nearing completion including the Caledonia facility that was commissioned today.

Since taking office in 2020 under the PPP/C Government, the number of water treatment plants has increased from 28 to now 54.