Coomacka, Ituni to receive improved water quality, level of service

Jul 14, 2019 News

Guyana Water Incorporation (GWI) on July 11, last, visited Coomacka Village, Region Ten which has approximately 750 residents.

GWI officials inspect works at the Ituni well site

Over a period of time the residents of Coomacka village, a community up the Demerara River, has been receiving little to no water since the distribution system became blocked. The system was constructed many years ago.
The Community Development Council invited GWI to address their concerns. Upon accepting the invitation the managing director of GWI and the team of officials, assured the residents during a community meeting that the utility will work to ensure quality water is provided to them.
Managing Director of GWI, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles stated that the company is pushing ahead to achieve a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) by 2025 instead of 2030. This goal speaks to ensuring access to potable water for all.
Executive Director of Operations, Mr. Dwayne Shako, said the team will work towards completing the upgrade works within the next two months.
Hoping for an immediate solution, GWI will move to repair the existing well, address the high iron content in the water, clean the distribution lines and repair standpipes. The utility will also be exploring the practicality of drilling a new well in the community.
Dr. Van West-Charles explained that even as works are underway for the drilling of two new wells in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, GWI will utilize the same equipment to drill deeper in Coomacka, with the aim of accessing better quality water.
He reassured that with new technology at GWI’s disposal, finding quality water underground is now easier compared to some 23 years ago when the utility was not equipped with the requisite technology and equipment to sufficiently get the job done.
Prior to the distribution of water to residents, GWI will conduct water quality tests and make the results available to the community.
Dr. Van West-Charles said Government’s approval of funding now allows the company to function optimally and afford its customers a better life.
National Director of the National Community Development Council, Mr. Eugene Gilbert, thanked GWI for its swift response in attending to the matter of access to water in Coomacka.
He noted that the community meeting came on the heels of a recently concluded Regional CDC Conference.
Meanwhile, GWI has completed the drilling of an additional well at Ituni to a depth of approximately 300ft. Dr. Richard Van West-Charles and other GWI officials on July 12, 2019 visited the site of the new well.
Water quality testing will be done to ensure that the water produced is within World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines before it is provided to residents. Developmental works are currently being done on the well which will be followed by test pumping.
It is expected that the well will produce about 30 cubic meters of water per hour and the drilling of the additional well will facilitate extended pumping hours to some 742 residents of that community.
Upon completion, the residents will benefit from improved water quality and increased hours of water supply. Water quality testing will be done on a continuous basis to ensure that the quality of the water is maintained.

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