Groundwater represents more than 90 percent of the water supply on the coast and 70 percent countrywide. Moreover, groundwater, according to the Guyana Water Incorporation (GWI), is the most reliable source of potable water for public use.
In recognition of the importance of groundwater, the water company is moving to sustain its underground water source so as to ensure a continuous supply to citizens.
In this regard, GWI, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is pursuing actions to prepare and implement a groundwater management plan. A move in this direction will be facilitated under the Water Supply and Sanitation Infrastructure Programme (SSIIP).
This plan, according to information released by GWI, is aimed at assessing the sustainability of the groundwater supply in Guyana.
GWI has also moved to collaborate with Deltares, an applied research institute in water and sub-surface environment from the Netherlands, to develop a model that will seek to guide it on the physical characteristics of the groundwater resource on the coast.
Plans for the way forward were this past weekend outlined in a newspaper advertisement. According to GWI, the ensuing project would therefore entail conducting geophysical logging of coastal wells in Regions Two, Three, Four Five, Six and 10 which would see customers within the project areas experiencing disruptions to their water supply for an average of five hours.
The areas likely to experience disruptions today will include a number of West Bank Demerara villages including: Patentia, Vive-La-Force, Free and Easy, Good Intent, Wales and Sisters Village.
