Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) intends to drill 14 new wells to supply new housing areas, its chief executive has said. Shaik Baksh made the announcement on Sunday at the opening of the utility's water refilling station at Vergenoegen. The wells will be drilled on behalf of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), and Mr Baksh named Meten-Meer-Zorg, De Kinderen, Leonora and Stewartville among the target areas, along with other communities on the East Coast corridor. He said there are nearly 80 new housing developments in the region that need a water supply.

Mr Baksh said GWI hopes to begin drilling as early as October or November, and that the process of procuring a contractor is under way. Because that process is not finished, the dates remain an intention rather than a confirmed schedule. No cost or completion date for the wells has been given.

According to Mr Baksh, the existing system cannot be extended to serve some of the new developments adequately, which is why separate wells are needed. He said demand for water has risen as the region has expanded. The wells are meant to support the existing network, not to replace it.

The Vergenoegen refilling station offers purified five-gallon containers from $100. Stations have already opened in Region Two, Region Six and at Pouderoyen in Region Three. Mr Baksh said further stations will open at Bartica in Region Seven and at Linden in Region Ten.

On current coverage, Mr Baksh said GWI provides 85 per cent treated water in the region. He acknowledged that some areas are still affected and said the utility is working towards a target of 100 per cent. He also said a new well is being drilled at Vergenoegen and that another 10 are being drilled in hinterland communities, as GWI seeks to strengthen supplies amid concerns over dry conditions. These figures were given by Mr Baksh and no independent verification was provided.

The planned wells form part of wider investment in water infrastructure in Region Three. GWI is also planning a large surface-water treatment plant at the back of Stewartville. The plant would draw water from the Boerasirie Conservancy and supply communities along the West Coast corridor. Mr Baksh said construction is expected to take about two years. No start date has been announced for the work.

Several details are absent from what has been made public so far. GWI has not said how much the 14 wells will cost or how much water they are expected to produce. It has not given the number of homes they will serve, nor has it said when the first of the new communities will be connected. The capacity of the Stewartville plant and the cost of building it have also not been stated.

The Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, attended the opening of the Vergenoegen station. The account of the well programme, the refilling stations and the coverage figures comes from Mr Baksh.

The announcement comes as demand for water increases with the growth of new housing developments across the country. Whether the wells can be drilled and connected on the timetable Mr Baksh described will depend on the outcome of the contractor procurement, which GWI has not yet completed