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GWI issues boil order to flood-affected communities
– possible threat of contamination looms
GWI CEO, Karan Singh
The water system has been definitely contaminated in some flood-affected communities, a development which has since forced the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to intensify its monitoring mechanism.
GWI has also issued a boil order, according to Chief Executive Officer Karan Singh, who, at a press briefing yesterday, said that the water entity is still engaging efforts to catch up on water sampling.
“There are definitely cases of contamination. In fact, just a few days ago, we had to change a broken water main in three feet of water. (This) was quite a challenge for us…Once you have a broken main in an area that is fully swamped, there is no doubt in our minds that polluted water will get into the lines,” Singh asserted.
And due to the high possibility of contamination, the CEO said, the entity has increased its efforts at sampling and testing, even as it attempts to run its pumps 24 hours a day.
“If we run our pumps 24/7, then the chances of polluted water getting into the lines are less…Hopefully, with no interruptions from the power company, that will be a good strategy; but if we do have power outages and the pumps don’t work, then there is a definite possibility of intrusion, and the water becomes contaminated.”
But, according to Singh, the efforts of GWI are challenged to some extent by drain-cleaning activities in the vicinity of where water connections are set up.
He noted that there are going to be disruptions of service, and once there are disruptions at the pipes, the pressure will inevitably drop.
“Low pressures are going to result from some stations not working because of power outages, and some stations may not work because electrical switch gears are submerged. We would have had to stop those stations,” Singh revealed.
He added that the water company has a serious task to continuously monitor the situation, to be able to detect early any major disturbances.
He said that although the suspicions of contamination are being addressed with a disinfecting process at the treatment plant, the boil order will remain in effect.
Through the Ministry of Health, efforts are being made to encourage residents of all the affected communities to continue to boil water and to use various forms of disinfections.
Among the communities that are being urged to adhere to the boil order advisory are Dochfour, parts of Mahaica, Golden Grove, Enmore and areas in Mahaicony, Singh said.
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