Dear Editor,
I was heartened when the president made the statement of Guyana becoming a major exporter of clean, fresh drinking water. It is a grand idea which should come to fruition seeing we are a country that is blessed with a superabundance of fresh water.
Guyana is positioned in The Equatorial Region and precisely so in the tropical rainforest zone, it is ideally located to receive quadrillions of litres of fresh water from the skies. Guyana is also one of six countries that form The Guiana Shield or “The Greenhouse of the Earth,” one that hosts an ecosystem that holds 20% of the world’s freshwater, so there is wisdom in the thought expounded by the president.
Our discussion now takes us to the next point, that is, the nature of the rocks beneath the surface. Lying beneath the coastal plain is a huge band of rocks called aquifers, these are rocks that form a line where rainfall water from the surface has infiltrated the ground. It fills the spaces between the sediments and cracks in the rock which further enhances its water-holding capacity.
In addition to this, that groundwater reservoir is constantly filled by precipitation, as the water seeps downwards into it. Groundwater at this stage is filtered by a natural filtration process.
A natural reservoir of groundwater called an artesian basin is now formed beneath the coastal plain. Like the Murray Darling Plains of Australia, large borings can be made into the aquifer and water flows naturally from the ground, this is potable water at its best. However, and this goes for those of us who hail from the countryside, there is a high ferrous oxide (rust) content in that water, which quickly oxidizes when exposed to the surface. It stains clothing, cups and pans, and gives that unsightly appearance to all household utensils.
Hence, a call for a filtration process to rid the water of its iron and aluminium contents, as well as to purify it from the accumulated pollutants gathered by that water on its way downwards. Purified artesian water is amongst the best drinking water on the planet and Guyana is truly blessed, doubly blessed with another renewable resource.
Finally, in the rich underground tapestry of nature, lies a renewable resource that our country can maximise its use. Diversification is in the air, and the production of crystal clear, potable, artesian water, is an economically viable option; why wait, let’s seise the day.
Respectfully,
Neil Adams
