The Georgetown Sewerage system is likely to remain in a compromised state for another few months,Julian Edelman Patriots Jersey, since according to Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Acting Director of Capital Investment and Planning, Altaf Gafoor,Eric Rowe Patriots Jersey, they are not expected to arrive in Guyana until this year end.Acting GWI Director, Altaf GafoorGafoor’s remarks were made on Friday during a press conference held at the water entity’s Vlissengen and Church Street Head Office.The sewerage system is designed to be driven by 24 pumps, however, currently the sewage in the system is discharged to the Demerara River with the limited power of about eight pumps. As such, the water entity has since intensified its efforts to upgrade the system which is currently providing a service to a population that is about 50 per cent more than it was intended to serve, Gafoor related.Regarding the sewerage problem as a “messy situation” GWI Chief Executive, Yuri Chandisingh,Kevin Greene Steelers Jersey, said that the entity has gone to tender for new pumps,Merril Hoge Steelers Jersey, a process which has reached the stage of evaluation.However, Gafoor at the press conference reiterated GWI’s stance that the system is in an unacceptable state today because it was neglected over a number of years. There was also the lack of adequate finance to engage an elaborate project to restore the system.But according to the GWI Director, the rehabilitation programme for the system is now being financed under a loan,Troy Polamalu Steelers Jersey, the Sewerage and Water Programme Two,Matt Ryan Falcons Jersey, which the Government of Guyana has with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).And for this year,Logan Ryan Patriots Jersey, approximately $300M will be expended to upgrade the sewerage system, Gafoor disclosed.He pointed out that there are essentially two components to the upgrade programme, the first being the procurement of the pumps, motors and control panels.The second component he said will address the structural rehabilitation of the pumping stations.“As you know the sewerage system in general had suffered from years of neglect and unfortunately the structural integrity of these stations have in some cases been compromised,” Gafoor highlighted.Accordingly, he noted that GWI will focus on the rehabilitation of the structures to ensure that the stations can continue to function in the future.“We are hoping to start works on that contract within the next quarter and as the contractor goes through on the rehabilitation process, we hope to have the pumps in the country so that when the process is completed we can install the pumps, commission and then activate them.”Further, Gafoor related that GWI is looking at a consultancy programme with the IDB for the drafting or the re-development of a strategic plan for the Georgetown Sewerage System that would take into consideration the projections and future demands.He pointed to the fact that the population of the city has grown in many regards around the sewerage system, but noted that the current efforts of the water company will meet the existing demands.“In the long term we don’t want to have a repeat of the situation. We want when we activate our master plan in the future,Julio Jones Falcons Jersey, it will serve the current needs as well as the projected demands,” Gafoor emphasised.He revealed that some of the components of the master plan will be to look at the infrastructure of the system, which in some cases was laid over 60 years ago. For this reason, he added that, “It must be understood that there is a major cost towards their replacement. These are not small diameter pipes, these are large pipes set many feet into the ground, sometimes they are 20 feet below harden surfaces,” Gafoor related.Citing about $5B as the estimated amount likely to be spent on such a project,Steve Bartkowski Falcons Jersey, Gafoor noted that it is worth the effort to take the time now to plan for a thorough system upgrade, adding that if all goes well it should commence in the very near future. |