Many schools fail to meet WHO water quality standard

Dec 31, 2017 News

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) over the past year conducted a series of water quality tests in three different Regions, in joint venture with the Ministry of Education. It was found that close to half of the schools tested were unable to reach the standards specified by the World Health Organization (WHO).
As a matter of fact, of the three Regions that were tested, only Region Four passed.
This was one of the important aspects that were highlighted by Dr. Richard Van-West Charles, the Managing Director of the GWI on Friday last, as he was presenting the company’s year-in-review.
Dr Van West-Charles said during his presentation, “(GWI and MoE) have begun to ensure that the schools, Nursery, Primary and Secondary, have access to potable water. Part of the problem, not only for the schools but also for all households, is using the overhead tanks, whilst GWI produces potable water.
“When it gets to the tanks, the tanks are not clean; that contributes to a problem of contamination.”
As a result of the findings from the analysis done in the schools, the Director of GWI stated that they were able, again in collaboration with the Education Ministry, to complete sanitisation works to the water tanks in Georgetown.
The results showed that in Region Four, 61 of 88 schools passed the test.
In addition to the cleaning works, GWI was also able to conduct tests to the water to further verify its standard.
According the Dr. Van West Charles, works are in progress to ensure that the schools in Region Six, have access to potable water, given that the analysis depicted a worrying 36 schools failed the water quality test of 47, leaving a mere 11 facilities with safe water.
No plans for Region Five were specifically highlighted by him to address the 11 schools that failed the water quality test of the 15 which were analysed.
During his presentation, he also informed that the installation of a C2 tank at Mabaruma Hospital and 50 Lifesaver Jerry cans, which are used to filter out objects larger than 15 nanometers, were distributed to several Hinterland communities by the GWI, so that the quality of water can be improved.
Also in the Hinterland Region, a significant number of water filters were installed, due to findings from the analysis.

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