Water supply dangerously low in interior as heatwave intensifies

Oct 06, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) on Thursday revealed that the ongoing heatwave is causing a severe water shortage in the hinterland regions, more than that of the coastal areas.

This was revealed by GWI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaik Baksh who yesterday briefed the media on the impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon on the water sector.

Baksh said the GWI is closely working with the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) which formed a national team comprising of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and GWI and has been visiting the administrative regions to assess the situation on an ongoing basis.

Following several assessments, Baksh said that the findings indicate that the hinterland region is severely affected by the El Nino weather. “In all the hinterland regions we have seen depletion in water supply in the surface water supply that is the springs and creeks, which is adversely affecting the population in those areas,” he stated.

One such area he highlighted that is experiencing the brunt of the dry weather is the Salbora Creek in the Mahdia area of Region Eight. The CEO explained that the Salbora Creek is currently depleted of about 80 percent of the water it supplies and has the potential of creating hardship for the population there.

He noted that the GWI currently has two wells in Mahdia and because of the situation at the Salbora Creek, the entity is moving on an emergency basis to drill a new well at Mahdia to relieve the hardship that is likely to be encountered by residents.

He went on to state that in other hinterland areas such as those in Region One, the GWI  found areas that are experiencing low water supply through the depletion of the springs. He added that there are wells in communities in Region One, however, they are not high performing wells because of the geological formations. As such, residents tend to depend on the springs.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), Shaik Baksh

In Region Seven, Baksh noted that places such as Kamarang and Jawalla are experiencing a reduction in the static level of the wells in those areas. A similar situation is occurring in Kurukabaru and El Paso in Region Eight.

Baksh also indicated that GWI has embarked on the drilling of deepwater wells in Region Nine that are climate resilient. He said the GWI discovered that “the hand dug wells are drying up.” Over the next few months, a number of wells will be drilled in Region Nine and other areas.

Speaking about the coastland areas, the CEO explained that because of the dry weather, there, “has been an extremely high demand for water not only for households but also the farming communities which is relying on GWI for water supply.”

According to him, currently the GWI wells on the coastland are producing water at the maximum at this point in time, which is trying to meet the demands.

Baksh said overall in Region Two, the supply of water is stable except in some areas where wells are being maintained. “So, we do have problems in one and two areas; they are all receiving lower levels of water supply. In Region Three, the situation is also stable although in some areas we also do have a lower level of service than normal,” he elaborated.

As for Region Four, he disclosed that in Georgetown in particular, the water supply is normal. “We have observed that through the monitoring of the Lamaha Canal through which between 60 and 80 percent of water is being provided.”

As for Regions Five and Six, Baksh said areas in those regions are experiencing lower levels of water supply. Water wells in those areas are supplying water on a 24-hour basis and at a maximum level.

While giving a brief highlight of the situations across the country, the CEO yesterday made an appeal to residents particularly in the coastal areas to be “more prudent and cautious in their use of this precious water supply resource, so that everybody can enjoy an adequate level of water service.”

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), Civil Defence Commission (CDC), El Niño, heatwave, Shaik Baksh