Linden Water Crisis and Opportunity

Dec 31, 2019 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

Guyana is known as the Land of Many Waters. There has also been a reference to the “Water People”. Linden, more than any community in Guyana, typifies or epitomizes the “Land of Many Waters”; it has surface water (creeks, Demerara River, springs, wetlands, lakes and canals) and ground water. The springs, creeks, river, lakes, canals, wetlands and aquifer make up one interconnected hydrological, and by extension, ecological system. Critically, Linden is located within the recharge area for the Coastal Aquifer. Linden, more than any community, also needs to assume, adopt the posture, or perceptive of the “Water People”. The characteristics of a “water People” would include a familiarity/facility with water, common understanding of the ways of water, a universal/community commitment to its conservation, management, and protection. The suggested posture is more than an intellectual or academic exercise it is critical to the long-term sustainability and viability of Linden. Water is ubiquitous in Linden, it is everywhere and its movement is the most powerful and persistent force dominating the physical, social, and economic state of Linden. Linden is drained by about 20 major or minor creeks, all of which flow into the Demerara River. It has hundreds of springs that flow into the creeks, delivering thousands of cubic meters of clear water, daily: All creeks, with the exception of Kara Kara and Katabulli, originate within Linden. During the phenomena of high tides and heavy rainfall, the creeks and wetlands act as reservoirs for the continuous flow from the springs and rainfall.
Flooding, a common phenomenon in Linden, generally occurs when the flow of water is hampered and the storage capacity of the “system” is exceeded. The storage or retention capacity is being reduced by the siltation of drains and siltation and backfilling of creeks. Untreated water from the river, springs and creeks were historically used for cooking, washing and bathing. Certain springs were, and still are, used for communal bathing. Springs are used now for drinking and other domestic purposes, even with the availability of treated water from GWI. Springs are so widespread that many homes have their private springs. The use of the various water bodies for industrial, transportation and recreational purposes were/are fundamental to the evolution of Linden as a community. Also the waters of Linden are integral parts of its tourism product. The pre-existing, “natural hydrological and drainage regime “in Linden, has been severely compromised/disturbed over the years with the growth and expansion of Linden, and by a general lack of appreciation of its essential processes. The initial and major physical and hydrological disruption was caused by the construction and operation of the mines and the development of the supporting infrastructure (railways, tailings ponds, road cuts). The lack of concerted mine reclamation and land management ensures that the hydrological and environmental disruptions/impacts on the Linden Community are permanent and continuous. Our placement of buildings, settlements and infrastructure are not informed by the natural hydrological processes; the persistent flooding, particularly on the Western Shore, is a direct result. The civil designs (roads, embankments, drains, bridges, etc.) and their related construction and maintenance are costly and often ineffective because they are not informed by the underlying hydrologic processes (height of the water table, the existence of old creek beds, the volume of flow contributed by springs, and behaviour of creeks). The Valley of Tears now called Victory Valley, “the Valley”, epitomizes the challenges faced. The area was deemed uninhabitable due the overwhelming flow of springs, the flow of water, and erosion. Residents were asked to relocate to land provided in other parts of the Western Bank. The Valley of Tears is part of the larger West Bank Demerara Watershed that covers most of Wismar, including Green Valley, and Silvertown. The drainage regime is also compromised by extensive backfilling of wetlands, diversion and filling of creeks, the clearing of hillsides and the resulting erosion and siltation of creeks, uncontrolled squatting, historical illegal dump sites, current limited and poor waste management practices, including, disposal of solid, agricultural and human waste into the creeks and waterways.
Linden produces a pulse/spike of contamination, degradation of water quality in the Demerara River. The spiked parameters include coliform bacterial, E coli, suspended solids, and metals. Historically springs were used for drinking washing, and recreation. There are still some springs utilized for household use and communal bathing in Victory Valley, Blueberry Hill, Silvertown, Christianburg and Coomaka. Sadly most of these suffer microbial contamination. The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) produced two reports that are important to the appreciation of the state of water resources in Linden. The Linden Water Safety Plan, and the National Programme of Action (NPA) for the Reduction of Land-based Sources of Pollution. The reports had a number of recommendations and an important question/query. The recommendations were that: 1. The Dakoura Creek be the sole source of water for the Western Subsection of the Linden Water System, 2. The Dakoura creek be protected to assure the sustainability of the water source, and 3. That a well-head protection strategy be implemented to reduce the probability of contamination of the Coastal Aquifer .
There was also a query about the source of the Dakoura Creek. One goal of the Rehabilitated Linden Water System reflected the first recommendation. The goal was that the Dakoura Creek, through the Wisroc Water Treatment Plant, be the sole source of water for the Western Subsection (WSS). This goal was not met, due to design flaws and substandard construction. And, the Demerara River, the source of water for West Watooka Water Treatment Plant, remains an integral component of the WSS. The Dakoura Creek Watershed Management Plan (DCWMP) was prepared (reflecting the second recommendation), but not implemented. The well-head protection strategy was not developed. The Dakoura Creek is one of several clear-water creeks in Linden. Its sources are the numerous springs within the watershed. An interesting phenomenon is that all the springs in Linden apparently originate at the same geologic layer or formation, white sandy clay. It is postulated that the formation is part of the upper section of the Coastal Aquifer that is the source of water for the Coastal Communities. The Linden area is within the recharge area of the Coastal Aquifer. Hydrologic contamination in Linden is, therefore, potentially a threat to the Coastal Aquifer. The Bauxite Industry has left a legacy of hydrologic and ecological disruption, natural resource deterioration and contamination in Linden. This is exemplified by the siltation of Kara Kara basin and the Dakoura Creek Watershed, and siltation of the Demerara River at Coomaka. NICIL, the entity with the responsibility for management of the Linmine’s resources apparently does not have a functional environmental strategy. There is extensive squatting along creeks, and backfilling of wet lands. And most importantly there is no environmental monitoring of these properties under NICIL’s control. NICIL has been disposing of the historical bauxite-related properties without any apparent consideration for drainage or hydrological sustainability in Linden. It is suggested that a portion of the funds obtained from the sale of the referenced properties be place in an escrow or environmental account to address the natural resource damage associated with the Bauxite Legacy. Uncontrolled squatting along creeks are compromising water quality and sanitation by the direct discharge of septic tanks. Also squatting along lakes produced by mining precludes their use for other economic purposes, including aquiculture. Who is responsible for regulating or protecting the waters of Linden? There is a general failure of the responsible agencies to exercise their mandates to protect the water resource. These include the RDC, the LM&TC, EPA, the MNR, the DOE, Hydromet, GGMC, the GL&SC and the MOC. Firstly the National Water Council (NWC), the entity responsible for the management of water resources all across the country, is non-functional. There are contesting positions among MNR, MOC and the Hydromet (MOA) as to where NWC should reside. There is also no national symposium or gathering of the various agencies to deliberate or report on the state of Guyana’s water resources, water management or conservation. The EPA and the GGMC have the responsibility for monitoring the Bosai’s Environmental Management Plan for its operations. Recent audits indicate that discharges exceeded the approved limits. The RDC and the LM&TC apparently have neither the capacity nor the interest. Their practices and interventions have contributed to the deterioration of the water resources in Linden. Lands have been “awarded” for farming within the Dakoura Creek Watershed without any regard or reference to the topography, and proposed protection strategies for the watershed. A 2014 Cabinet Decision established the Dakoura Creek Watershed Management Group to provide oversight of the development and implementation of the DCWMP. There was a notable lack of response or concrete action by the agencies named. The MoC was named as the Lead Agency but did not assume the role. The MoC, however, is best positioned to address the water and sanitation crisis in Linden, to provide guidance and build necessary capacity within the LM&TC, and to coordinate the collective efforts of the other agencies. There is a troubling implication, if there is no will, interest and/or ability to address the manageable water situation in Linden, how can we be assured that Guyana’s water, our primary natural resource, can be managed? The absence of will and concerted efforts by the National Agencies to address the water situation in Linden provides an opportunity for, and necessitates, action at the Regional and Municipal levels. The following actions, remedial strategies will position Linden to be home of the “Water People”: RDC Region 10 / LM&TC to establish a Regional Water Policy/Strategy; Establish the Linden Municipal Water Council; Promote the Region 10 National Water Conference/Symposium; Develop and implement a directed water awareness strategy/plan; Develop and implement a plan to utilize the water from the Linden springs; Restore and maintain the main Creeks of Wismar and protect the remaining wetlands; Identify and enforce reserve areas to protect the headwaters/sources of springs and creeks and Boost tourism and jobs by development of a water park in Victory Valley.

Sincerely,
Samuel Wright

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