Minister Croal – Five Miles, Bartica to get first time access to potable water by month end

Resident will soon access potable water in their homes for the first time in Five Miles, Bartica,
Region Seven. The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is procuring a $30M water booster pump
to provide water to the community.
Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, gave the assurance during an outreach in the Bartica
township on Monday. Croal eventually visited the area where the pump will be installed at Four
Miles. Croal disclosed that the booster pump will arrive in the country within two weeks, after
which, he said that it will be installed and over 800 residents will have access to water through
their taps. “We have the civil works component which will see us putting the pipe system, the
housing in the area where we will put the booster pumps, as well as for the electro mechanical
system to function. So, everything is in place, all we are waiting for now is the arrival of the
pumps,” the minister said.
Minister Croal had visited the community last year and made a commitment to expanding the
water distribution system in Bartica so water could be accessed in Five Miles. However, he had
identified some challenges with pumping the water from the Bartica Water Treatment Plant to
that community, which is located on a hill with an 83-metre elevation. He had stated that the
water treatment plant can only pump water to an elevation of 45 feet, which covers up to Four
Miles. The housing and water minister subsequently visited in April this year and announced the
procurement of a booster pump. Croal detailed that there were some delays with the shipment of
that pump. “I would like to apologise on behalf of us from the management level and GWI and
this government for the delay…but, I want to assure you that by the end of the year, once the
pumps are here, Five Miles will definitely get their water,” he said.
He disclosed that over $120M has been spent to expand water distribution and drill new wells in
Region Seven this year. He said that apart from the expansion of the Bartica distribution system,
a new water supply system was completed in Kamarang to provide service to more than 600
residents. Further, a new water system is being constructed in Jawalla and Kaikan to provide
service to more than 1,000 people. He added that an expanded water system was also
commissioned at River’s View, which is close to Region Seven, but located in Region 10.