Guyana closer to 100 percent treated water

Last Updated on Saturday, 18 October 2025, 20:41 by Writer

Hundreds of thousands of residents across Guyana’s coastland are inching closer to receiving 100 percent treated water and interior regions are getting increased access to potable well water, top officials said Saturday at the commissioning of a GY$1.3 billion water treatment plant at Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown.

“By the end of next year, we expect to be much closer to our goal of one hundred percent treated water coverage along the coast. Just think about that, what that means. It translates to almost every home every school, every hospital, every business on the coast,” President Irfaan Ali said in his address.

He said by 2026, five new water treatment plants, funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), would be completed, pushing Guyana to 95 percent treated water coverage. Dr Ali added that phase 2 of the country’s coastal treatment program was already being planned.

Located just over the eastern end of Aubrey Barker Street, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, the Cummings Lodge water treatment plant has a capacity of 12 million litres per day, according to GWI Chief Executive Officer Shaik Baksh. Public Utilities Minister Deodat Indar said the water treatment plant at Cummings Lodge would serve almost 10,000 persons in an area that is also being linked with roads and electricity. Existing areas such as Tucville, Stevedore, South Ruimveldt and Heroes Highway would be served by the treatment plant.

Mr Baksh said plans are afoot to construct the largest ever coastal water treatment plant – a capacity of 20 million litres per day – at Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara.

Already, 250,000 Guyanese are receiving treated water for the first time because, according to Dr Ali, his government has laid more than 200 kilometres of new transmission and distribution pipes, built seven new large water treatment plants, upgraded 13 others and constructed 18 small community treatment systems.

In terms of access to potable water in remote and scattered hinterland and riverain areas, the Guyanese leader said that is projected to increase from 92 percent to 96 percent next year. “There are many countries in the developed world that would not invest in such small communities because it does not make economic sense. They have to drill their own wells in their backyards. We invest because it makes human sense and it is part of us caring for our citizens,” he added.

Nationally, Dr Ali said access to potable water has now reached 98.4% of Guyana’s population, “one of the highest in the Caribbean.” Unofficially, Guyana’s population is estimated at more than 800,000. The results of the 2022 census are yet to be released.

The GWI CEO said the company has begun studies on surface water from areas like the Boerasirie Conservancy and the Lama Conservancy.