Work moving apace to fix Georgetown sewerage system

Mar 22, 2014 News

Even as concerns related to the Georgetown sewerage system, are being highlighted, the Guyana Water Incorporated, (GWI) has announced that rehabilitation works are moving apace to bring an end to the problems.
According to Public Relations Officer of GWI, Timothy Austin, the work, which started earlier this year, will continue until the city’s entire sewerage system is revamped.

Rehabilitative work being conducted on parts of the City’s sewer yesterday.

Austin explained that GWI was identified as the executing agency for a US$10,000,000 funded project between the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of Guyana (GOG) for the improvement of Georgetown’s Sanitation system.
He said that on December 8, 2010, the agreement was signed between the Government of Guyana (GOG) and the IDB for the improvement of the operational performance of the Georgetown Sewerage System, which will also incorporate the execution of the Georgetown Sanitation Improvement Programme.
Components of the Programme will include the complete replacement of the 5.5 KM sewerage ring main in Georgetown; replacement of all delivery mains; purchase and installation of additional pumps for the 24 pumping stations to ensure adequate pressure and operational reliability and improvement to the electrical connections. It will also include assessment and emergency rehabilitation of street sewers in selected areas and purchase of maintenance and operating equipment.
As such, GWI has advised that there will be several road blocks to facilitate the work being undertaken in various parts of the city.
Areas earmarked for rehabilitative works include, Louisa Row, Wellington Street, Smyth Street, Camp and Regent Streets, Waterloo Street, upper Croal Street, upper Brickdam, New Market Street, upper South Road, Thomas and Cummings Streets and Barrack Street, Kingston.
According to GWI, the agency is committed to repairing all roads and private property including bridges, which are damaged during the exercise.
Further, the implementation of this programme will include the strengthening of GWI’s Wastewater Management and Energy Efficiency. This component will involve development of an asset management implementation strategy; staff training programmes on wastewater operation, maintenance practices and energy use. The contract will also include public awareness campaigns that will target schools and business owners.
This component is significant to shed light on the continued abuse of the system by customers who continue to dump solid waste which affects the efficiency of the system and results in overflows, according to the utility company.” It is imperative that these structural improvements provided by the programme be complemented by the proper use of the system by customers in order to achieve maximum efficiency,” according to GWI’S Executive Director of Capital Investment and Planning, Ramchand Jailal. “The programme will assist in alleviating some of the sewerage overflows we currently experience in the city – a major improvement for Georgetown residents.”