Govt. study reveals heavy metal concentration to be dumped into Demerara River – US EXIM Bank exposes

Jun 25, 2024 News

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Gas-to-Energy project…

Kaieteur News – The water quality in the Demerara River is likely to be impacted by the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project, being pursued by the Government of Guyana (GoG).

This is according to a Water Quality Monitoring and Modeling Report, prepared by a consultant hired by the GoG, Environmental Resources Management (ERM). The document, dated May 2024, was released by the United States Export Import (US EXIM), pending the approval of a US$646 million loan to finance the 300 megawatt power plant and Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) facility.

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) is constructing a 12-inch pipeline to transport the gas to the Wales development site, West Bank Demerara from the Liza Unity and Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels.

According to the document released by the US EXIM Bank, groundwater will supply the integrated plant’s feed-water with a total demand of 265 cubic meter per hour (m3/hr) withdrawn from three wells at a rate of 88.33 m3/hr. per well.

The report explains that the flow will be treated to provide an ultra-purified steam for the turbines. Consequently, it was noted that the reject water’s mineral concentration will be increased, resulting in an estimated heavy metal and mineral concentration that is 1.27 times higher than the feed-water.

ERM however noted that the processed wastewater from the cooling tower and other sources will be treated to International Finance Corporation (IFC) standards.

According to the study, “Iron, zinc, and total heavy metal concentration in the groundwater samples exceeded IFC guideline values. The most elevated parameter value relative to the IFC standard was iron with a concentration of 42.67 mg/L, significantly higher than the IFC guideline value of 1 mg/L.”

Similarly, zinc concentration of 1.41 mg/L slightly exceeded the IFC guideline value of 1 mg/L while total heavy metal concentration of 44.69 mg/L was significantly higher than the IFC guideline value of 5 mg/L.

ERM said, “Although it is assumed that all water discharged to the storm-water pond will be at or below IFC Effluent Standards, in the event of treatment failure, zinc and iron are highlighted as the constituents that would be of concern.”

The government’s consultant in conclusion explained, “For copper and lead, the concentration of metals in the Demerara River are predicted to increase by as much as 1.91 microgram per litre (µg/L) and 0.37 µg/L respectively at the location of effluent discharge (approximately 100 meters downstream of the temporary MOF). For iron, since the treated final effluent levels will be less than the concentration measured in the river, iron concentration is predicted to be diluted by as much as 0.37 µg/L near the out-fall.”

Notably, the water quality study was not made available to Guyanese by the government but through the US EXIM Bank.

The shocking revelations by the financial institution come after a Guyanese Geologist warned of the dangerous consequences to the country’s water quality by the project.

Simone Mangal-Joly previously explained that the location identified by the government for the GTE project is unsuitable and will likely pose great danger to the country’s main groundwater aquifer.

An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials. Groundwater from aquifers is extracted using a water well. The site at Wales sits above Guyana’s main groundwater aquifer that provides 90 percent of all the domestic and commercial water.

In an exclusive interview with this publication in 2022, the environmental advocate pointed out that: “When you look at that EIA, it says the impacts on the groundwater will be negligible. Nowhere in the world can you put a power plant and an NGL plant and a pipeline over ground water and it never gets seriously impacted. Basic common sense will tell you that upset conditions of spills etc. over the 30-year life of such heavily polluting industries put the groundwater at high risk. And this is our most prized groundwater aquifer. Guyana’s coastal water supply comes mainly from the A Sand Aquifer, which lies below the Wales Estate.”

The geologist explained that when hydrocarbon pollutants get into your water supply, they remain there permanently, and are cancerous, making the water unsafe for consumption.

Higher cost to treat water in Demerara River

Amid growing concerns of the impacts of oil operations on this country waterways, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Shaik Baksh disclosed that the Demerara River is becoming “more and more polluted” and is costing the company more money to treat drinking water for citizens.

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• Demerara River, gas-to-energy, metals, QUALITY, water

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