US$31M water treatment project on stream
Sinohydro Project Manager, Hong Zhou, congratulates GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard Van-West Charles, following the signing of the multimillion-dollar project (Samuel Maughn photo)
Sinohydro Project Manager, Hong Zhou, congratulates GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard Van-West Charles, following the signing of the multimillion-dollar project (Samuel Maughn photo)

–77,000 at Uitvlugt, Diamond and Sheet Anchor to benefit

 

SOME 77,000 persons are expected to benefit from a multi-million dollar water treatment project which is considered to be the largest investment by the government in the sector.

The project, which will be undertaken by a Chinese company, Sinohydro, will see three water treatment plants being built at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerera; Diamond, East Bank Demerara; and Sheet Anchor in Berbice.

The project is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IBD) and the European Union (EU) to the tune of US$31M.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at Guyana Water Inc (GWI) headquarters, Vlissengen Road on Thursday afternoon, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, said the project had its origins in October 2014 when a loan agreement was signed by the government with the IDB.

He said the contractor, who won the initial contract, was disqualified after there were discrepancies in the information put forward by the company.

Following a re-tendering process, Sinohydro won the bid for the project. He said the project is one component of government’s plans to deliver on its promises to improve the lives of the citizenry.

Outgoing Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams, exchanges salutations with GWI’s Managing Director, Dr Richard Van-West Charles, following Thursday’s event. Minister Hastings-Williams will be assuming the post of Minister of Public Affairs this month (Samuel Maughn photo)

Outgoing Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams, noted that the programme see 6,764 households in Region Three; 9,292 households on the East Bank; and 4,629 households in Region Six benefitting from the project , with a per capita investment in excess of G$30,000 per household.

She said the project will see 70 kilometers of transmission and distribution mains being replaced and installed.

“The completion of this programme will result in the increase of treated water coverage in Guyana,” she said.

She told the Chinese company that the country trusts its expertise in ensuring the project is delivered with the output being healthy for consumption. Minister Hastings-Williams urged the GWI to continue to work hard to bring quality water to the citizenry.

GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard Van-West Charles said the project is important to the company in terms of its focus on water quality. He said that it fits into the mission of GWI.

“These new treatment plants will be in addition to the existing 24 treatment plants,” he said, noting that the plants represent one of the modalities that the company is using with respect to water quality in the country.

Also in another few weeks, three new wells will be built at Vergenoegen, Pouderoyen and Westminster.

Sinohydro Project Manager, Hong Zhou, told the gathering that he is confident that the company will deliver the project with the desired results.

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