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Worrying mercury levels detected in Region One potable water supply- GWI taking action to address dilemma

Jul 12, 2018 News

Tests are ongoing to assess the extent of elevated levels of mercury in potable water supplies in Region One. This is according to Managing Director of the Guyana Water Incorporated [GWI], Dr. Richard Van West Charles.
“We have just come out of Region One where we have seen, based on the samples that we have taken and tested in the Kaizen Laboratory in Trinidad, that there are elevated levels of mercury. We are doing more testing.”
He added, “We have done some analysis of some samples taken, this is in Port Kaituma and those results have shown levels above the accepted levels for the World Health Organisation [WHO]. We are taking other samples now from up-stream and down-stream in the Port Kaituma River and we are also going to be trying to get any fish in the river to check the levels of mercury that may exist.”
Based on WHO guidelines, the normal mercury level in water should be .0006 milligrams per litre but the results of the tested water reflects a level of .016 milligrams per litre, according to Dr. Van West Charles.
According to Dr. Charles, GWI has also been in contact with the Institute for Applied Science and Technology [IAST]. New samples will be sent to them to undertake heavy metal analysis that is required.
This move, the GWI Managing Director said, is very important. “That is why the water quality strategy in GWI becomes very critical across the country and we are monitoring what is going on in the hinterland as well as on the coast as well as in urban communities.”
“We have an MOU with IAST linked to Trent University so we are trying to have a discussion in which we may need a more in-depth study even to look at where the wash-off is coming from on land, and mining activities into the river,” said Dr. Van West Charles.
GWI has already started to investigate the operations of some illegal miners who might be responsible for the presence of mercury in the water. Dr. Charles said, “We now have to look at these levels of illegal mining and the run offs and so forth into water sources where people are accessing water for human consumption.”
Tests for the mercury level were first done in May and Dr. Van West Charles said thatadvisories were issued. He added further tests were required since “you can’t go on one sample, you have to verify…so we have taken a number of samples…we want to ensure that we have a sense of where mining activities are taking place.”
In light of this development, the Managing Director said that moves have been made to reach out to the regional administration, the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, among other entities in Region One, which have all been alerted that GWI will not be pumping.
“We are seeking to use other sources [of water] and have made a decision to drill another well in Turn Basin,” said Dr. Van West Charles. He added, “We have made contact with the Lands and Surveys staff up there and a site is identified which is about 800 feet from Turn Basin, a location that we are seeking to rehabilitate now.”

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