Better days ahead for improved water supply GWI, Institute of Applied Science & Technology ink MOU

Jan 16, 2016 News

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All being equal, the challenge-filled days for GWI may soon be at an end much to the benefit of consumers, technology and the water company’s human resource.

Yesterday, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST), University of Guyana, to embark on a special collaboration involving the use of technology to improve the operational processes and resolve the challenges faced by the nation’s main utility supplier.
GWI’s Chief Executive, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, and Director of IAST, Dr. Suresh Narine inked the MOU which specifies that the IAST will act as a technology provider, advisor and implementer of technology solutions to enhance the operations and to find solutions to the difficulties experienced by GWI.
Dr. Van West-Charles, before the signing ceremony, said, ‘GWI will benefit tremendously from this collaboration especially in the areas of water quality and the management of Guyana’s water resources through analytical testing of ground and surface water sources.”
He‘ explained further that the IAST will be collaborating with GWI to test aquifers (underground sources of water), and new wells, to assess the effects of ground and surface water changes that may occur as a result of the expansion of new housing schemes and climate change.
“It is absolutely imperative to monitor the level of the aquifers that we utilize to provide consumers with water,” said Dr. Van West-Charles.
He added, “Knowledge of the impact of consistently expanding new housing schemes as well as the effects of the prolonged dry weather conditions is critical to the sustainable management of Guyana’s water resources. With this new partnership between the IAST and GWI, the company is in a better position to employ technology to monitor and assess the levels of the aquifers.”
Director of IAST, Dr. Suresh Narine, said that the entities will also be collaborating on building the knowledge capacity of GWI.
“Another important aspect of our partnership will be training…IAST will be providing training to GWI employees in the use of new technology for water quality testing,’ stated Dr. Narine.
He said, “The four pillars for good water service and supply is safety first and foremost, and then security followed by sustainability and it is also environmental. In order to maintain those four pillars we need to employ technology we have got to look at energy systems, health of aquifers and those things can’t be done without people who are married to systems.
“IAST seeks to become more of a technology provider which is a repository of knowledge, infrastructure and equipment that can service not just GWI but a wide spectrum of industries who can’t afford to host a whole complement of equipment and expertise individually because they are busy delivering frontline services.
“These kinds of partnerships allow GWI to rely on a competent agency and allow the country to maximise use of science and technology forces for multiple functions as opposed to duplication at the various institutions with a paucity of trained staff.”
Dr. Van West-Charles said that the newly formed partnership between the two entities is part of GWI’s overarching strategic programme to significantly enhance the quality of service provided to customers countrywide.
Both parties agreed that funding will be dual and reviews as well as assessments will be done on an annual basis with a view toward bettering quality, healthy water supply services to the nation’s peoples.
The Memorandum entered into between the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) and the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST), University of Guyana reflects an understanding of the working relationship between the two entities, in respect of the provision of analytical and professional services that can be utilized to assist GWI in continuing to meet the mandate as set out in the mission for the company.
GWI is engaged in the production, distribution, security, and ensuring the safety and sustainability of, water resources in Guyana.  A major aspect of fulfilling its mandate relates to the utilization of appropriate technology to ensure public health and safety through monitoring efforts, conservation of water resources and maintenance of watershed ecosystems, increasing efficiencies of equipment and consumables, utilization of green technologies and energy.
On the other hand the Institute of Applied Science and Technology is an industrial research institute operated by the Government of Guyana which focuses on the procurement, generation and implementation of appropriate technologies in Guyana for the purpose of developing the country’s natural resources and indigenous industries.
The IAST owns and operates state of the art analytical equipment and pilot facilities, many of which are relevant to the assessment of water quality and development of processes important to the mandate of the GWI as articulated above.
According to the MOU, both parties, having significant commonality of focus, recognize that the IAST is in a position to act as a technology provider, advisor and implementer of technology solutions for processes and challenges faced by the GWI.
IAST, according to the MoU shall employ its analytical capabilities and those of its partner institutions such as Trent University to augment and independently verify safety-related analytical testing of GWI’s water resources, at the pre-processing, post-processing and consumer stages.
Such testing will be extended to aquifers and new wells, both to assess the influence of ground and surface water changes due to changing land use and climate change, as well as to ensure the continued viability of these water resources.
IAST has agreed that it will also, from time to time, provide training to GWI staff in the latest techniques available for water quality testing. It will further collaborate with the GWI to develop and or cause technology already developed to be effectively transferred to Guyana, for the purpose of recovering alum powder used in the industry to flocculate particulates, which results in the creation of Alum Slurry.   Avenues to convert the slurry into reusable alum or other value-added materials will also be investigated.
As the GWI replaces its extensive network of polyethylene piping, this creates a significant amount of waste plastics.  IAST through the MOU has committed to converting this material into plastic-fiber composite roof shingles, using processes already developed at the institute.
IAST has also agreed to collaborate with the GWI by providing technical oversight for new technologies being contemplated and will also provide local expertise for assistance with commissioning, through the implementation and follow up maintenance and trouble-shooting phases.
IAST will also partner with GWI to assess technologies and potential investors who wish to invest in water treatment facilities, especially municipal wastewater facilities and will seek to also involve its partners, the Water Quality Centre of Trent University and the Institute for Fresh Water Science in management and conservation of Guyana’s important watershed ecosystems.
It is also envisaged that IAST and GWI will partner with other international partners such as Trent University in Canada and others to provide up to date training in Hydrology, Watershed Ecosystems Management, Well-Design and Engineering, Water Quality Testing, etc. for GWI’s employees.

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