Thousands of East Bank residents to soon benefit from improved, 24-hrs water service

Hundreds of millions of dollars are being expended to build new wells and water treatment plants and enhance existing ones. (Photo: Ministry of Housing & Water/December 20,2023)

Altogether, Croal said the works that are being executed at these locations amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Once completed, it will allow residents of the East Bank of Demerara to have access to 24 hours water supply at an increase pressure.

With works almost complete at several of these locations, they are expected to be operational in time for the Christmas holiday.

Others will be completed by mid-next year.

“While we been building in house capacity to be able to drill more wells we also simultaneously have been contracting many of the wells but we save a lot. The cost you spend when you have to drill one in house, you probably can do two wells with the cost when you have to contract it.

At Covent Garden, EBD, while the water treatment plant is operational, a new well is being drilled. It is expected to be completed early next year.”

A new well is also being drilled at Sixth Street, Diamond, EBD. This project is practically completed and will be activated on Friday, December 22, 2023.

“….The amount of work that we have, we just can’t build all in house but we are building capacity so I am happy with the result that we have here,” Croal said.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal (right) visited several areas on the East Bank of Demerara to inspect ongoing works (Photo: Ministry of Housing & Water/December 20,2023)

To enhance the water pressure, a new well is also being drilled at the Golden Grove water treatment plant. Upon completion, residents will have 24-hour water supply.

And, at Caledonia, the water treatment plant, which serves residents from Craig to the Soesdyke junction, works are three months ahead of the project deadline.  A new well will also be built at this location in the new year.

The aim, Croal said is to ensure every citizen have access to potable water by 2025.

“On the coastland, we must have 100 per cent access of water to households, and similarly in the hinterland. That is our objective. That is our target that we are trying to achieve and we have about two more years to ensure that we achieve that,” he said.