The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) says it is implementing several initiatives, including a house-to-house exercise, to detect and fix leakages countrywide.
According to the company about 1400 leakages have been identified.
To arrest the issue, GWI says it will be rolling out a mobile phone application (app) programme that its customers could use to quickly and efficiently alert the water company about leakages, so that they can take care of the problem in a timely and efficient manner.
The app would also contain features which would allow for the customers to read their water meters and send that information to the water company.
Divisional Manager, of GWI in Region Three, Martin Garrick, told the Government Information Agency (GINA), that the meter reading feature would benefit those customers, who might not be at home, and their gates are locked, during the hours that the GWI meter readers visit.
The app which is in the testing phase is expected to be rolled out shortly.
Meanwhile, GWI’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Richard Van West-Charles said that the water company is seeking closer collaboration with the residents, and the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) with respect to the protection of mains in the respective communities.
In Herstelling on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), it was discovered that two, major 12- inch lines were leaking, which caused the water pressure to drop significantly. There were also reports of residents in Kingston, Georgetown not receiving water. It was observed that the lines were damaged when the roads were being repaired. These issues were resolved, and the water supply was resumed in these areas.
“On the East Coast, we were able to get the overhead tank at LBI functioning and are now working to get the Annandale overhead tank functioning. It has to do with the leaks, and we want to work within the community to help us because it has its impact on the water pressure, so we have those challenges. I think we need better co-ordination between the regions’ NDCs with respect to protection of the water mains because sometimes the water mains are damaged unknown to us and that can cause lowering of the water pressure and can cause contamination,” West-Charles said.
