Unreliable power supply stymieing GWI’s mission
-Van West-Charles
The unreliable supply of energy remains a significant hurdle to Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) achieving its mission of delivering safe and adequate water to citizens, according to Managing Director Dr. Richard Van West-Charles.
Van West-Charles was speaking at a Groundwater Geophysics and Well Maintenance Workshop, hosted by GWI at the Regency Suites on Friday.
According to a GWI statement, Van WestCharles noted that over the past three and a half years, GWI has drilled over 55 wells throughout Guyana as part of its quest to fulfill its mission statement. He also said GWI has begun to explore new avenues for clean, reliable and affordable sources of energy.
On the coast, he noted, the company has “most of our difficulties in terms of clean and stable energy” and he explained that as a water utility, GWI is paying the highest price for power in Guyana and in the Caribbean, although it is providing a basic good to the populace.
He said there is need for better stakeholder collaboration, since the unreliable supply of energy has become unbearable, thus causing significant barriers to achieving the company’s mission.
He said GWI intends to engage Guyana Power and Light in dialogue but called on the energy utility company to reassess its relationship with GWI going forward.
As it relates to the hinterland, Van West-Charles added that the company is “primarily using solar energy” but also exploring hybrid systems of solar and wind and in some cases generators.
The two-day workshop, which concluded yesterday, was organised by GWI and facilitated by Fox Services and Trade. The company noted that it was intended for GWI’s technical staff members, such as Regional Managers, Engineers and Water Quality personnel and focused on groundwater geophysics and its use in Guyana, operations in well drilling, iron bacteria and water quality control and alternatives for chemical treatment among other topics. Approximately 50 persons participated in the workshop.
Van West-Charles said that as the technical staff become exposed to new chemicals and equipment, they need to undergo the requisite training so as to improve efficiency in maintenance and, therefore, such training workshops are important.