A team from Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) will be mobilising in a month’s time to drill a new well on the island of Wakenaam in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) to provide improved water supply to some 4,752 residents.
Chief Executive Officer of GWI, Mr. Shaik Baksh and a technical team on Friday, visited the island with a view of identifying the site for the drilling. Several sites were visited and the technical team has determined based on hydraulic and modelling studies that the site at Noitgedacht is the most suitable for the drilling of the new well.
The new well for the island will be the first drilled using the drilling rig acquired by the company some 2 years ago for the drilling of wells on the coastland.
Shortly after assuming office in the latter part of 2020, Mr. Baksh had visited the island and found that residents were experiencing a poor level of water supply for the past two to three years. This was attributed to low water production at the Free and Easy and Noitegedacht well stations. The wells, which are now over 45 years old, showed signs of structural degradation.
A GWI team soon thereafter cleaned and rehabilitated the wells to increase production. However, the rehabilitation has yielded success with residents stating that they are mostly pleased with the service they are receiving.
Noitegedacht resident, Zorene Rupnaraine said that she is even able to have water in her elevated storage tank and is able to wash her white clothing without staining. She also welcomed a new well on the island to further improve the water supply.
Meanwhile, Belle Plaine resident, Deonarine Oudall said he is satisfied with his level of service which was satisfactory.
In addition, Mr. Baksh explained that plans are in progress to construct a water treatment plant on the island within the next two years. The residents were overjoyed at this news.
