89,000 Region Three residents now accessing safe, treated water

Some 89,000 residents in Region Three now have access to safe, treated water following a $8.8 billion investment in seven new treatment plants, as part of the government’s wider effort to ensure clean water access for all Guyanese.

Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Shaik Baksh, disclosed the level of investment during the commissioning of the Parika Water Treatment Plant on Wednesday.

“The water sector is on the move. We have a strong mandate to ensure that a high level of performance is achieved to ensure the impact on the population receiving treated water and a high level of service is fulfilled,” he said at the event.

Since taking office in 2020, the government has undertaken the construction of seven large treatment plants along the coast.

Three of these are located in Region Three — at Wales, Parika, and La Parfaite Harmonie. The Wales plant, commissioned in March 2025, now supplies treated water to more than 16,000 residents.

Baksh said the La Parfaite Harmonie facility is undergoing testing to ensure readiness for full operation. Once completed, it will supply over 27,000 residents.

To complement the plants, several wells have also been drilled across the region.

Twelve existing treatment plants have been upgraded, while facilities at Vergenoegen, Pouderoyen and Fellowship were rehabilitated to improve water quality and supply.

Baksh noted that the government has secured a loan to build a surface water treatment plant at Diamond on the East Bank corridor. Construction is expected to begin this year.

Despite challenges, he said GWI continues to work “assiduously to achieve its water mandate to provide an enhanced level of water quality and service at the household level.”

The treatment facility at Bartica in Region Seven is 90 per cent complete and is set for commissioning in September, he added.

Two new treatment plants are also planned for Leguan to address water quality issues.

According to GWI, more than $65 billion has been invested in the water sector since 2020, with 98.3 per cent of the population now having access to safe water.

To date, 153 wells have been drilled nationwide. Treated water coverage along the coast currently exceeds 80 per cent, with a target of 90 percent by the end of 2025. (DPI)