Pres. Ali urges cautious use of water as dry season expected to prolong

Oct 07, 2023 News

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Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali on Friday appealed to Guyanese to avoid the wastage of water, as the supply of the resource is now scarce in areas across the country. He said the dry season currently being experienced is likely to prolong as he urged the cautious use of water.

In a statement yesterday, the Head of State addressed the current circumstances surrounding the availability of water, assuring that while it is not a “full blown” reason for concern at the moment, the government is closely monitoring the situation.

The Head of State however noted, “The extensive dry season has severely impacted our surface water availability and our ground water ratios, so what we are seeing as a result of the prolonged dry season is that a lot of persons are also going to pipe water for gardens, for farming, for agriculture, they are going to pipe water also for construction purposes.”

He said this has added a greater demand on the system, adding more stress on the infrastructure that is suffering from depletion as a result of the dry weather. To this end, the President said, “So I wanted to ask members, community, members of the population to be careful with the consumption of water, to minimize wastage to ensure they turn the taps off because the period we are going through is one that is excessively dry.”

He noted that the phenomenon is bringing serious stress as regionally and globally the conversation is now on the water tension scenarios, as a result of the dry period.

In Guyana, the President pointed out that Region One has suffered a reduction in the flow from springs, especially at Matthews Ridge and the Mabaruma areas, prompting the water authority to do sectional delivery to residents on a scheduled basis to maintain a level of supply.

Similarly, he said there was also a noticeable decline in the static level of sound wells in Manawarin, Arakaka and Port Kaituma. “This too has resulted in decisions to have sectional delivery to supplement what we are doing,” the President explained. In the meantime, Ali said the water production of wells in Region One is being monitored.

Over in Region Seven, he said there was also a decline in the static level of a number of wells in Kamarang and Jawalla.

He however assured, “We don’t have a situation now where it is detrimental to the supply and delivery but I am just speaking to the population, engaging you so what we can be aware of what is happening and we can take the necessary action so that we can also help in the current circumstances.”

This was particularly important as the President cautioned, “We expect the dry season to be prolonged very very much longer.”

Meanwhile, the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) in separate statement on Friday stated that the effects of the El Nino period are also being felt on the Coastland, though the Hinterland region continues to be most affected.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the water company, Shaik Baksh also appealed to residents to be more prudent in the use of water, indicating that GWI is now working closely with the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and other agencies in monitoring the situation.

In the populated coastal areas, GWI said the demand for water by households and farming communities has been high but the wells in this part of the country have been producing water at maximum.

In Regions Two, Three and Four, he reported that the water supply has been stable with some areas experiencing a lower level of service.

“The Lama Canal, which supplies water to about 60 to 80 per cent of Georgetown residents has not experienced a drop but in Regions Five and Six, residents are experiencing a small drop in level of service,” the GWI indicated.

Baksh said that to address this situation, GWI is supplying water on a 24-hour basis and at maximum level in these regions. GWI is also undertaking an intensive well maintenance programme to keep supply stable in the long term.

The water company was keen to note that while El Nino has been affecting the water supply in all the regions on the coastal belt, the power outages too have contributed. Additionally, GWI said contractors have been damaging the water infrastructure across the country. To this end, the utility company urged residents to report these contractors so that they may be held accountable for their actions.

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• cautious, dry, GWI, President, water

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