Water supply and sanitation in Guyana

Guyana Guyana Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British... : Water and Sanitation

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|-
!align="center" bgcolor="lightblue" colspan="3"|Data
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Water coverage (broad definition)
|valign="top"| 83%
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Sanitation coverage (broad definition)
|valign="top"| 70%
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Continuity of supply (%)
|valign="top"| Mostly intermittent
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Average water use (l/c/d)
|valign="top"| 243
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Average urban water tariff
|valign="top"| 0.32 US$/m3
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Share of household metering
|valign="top"| 24%
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Annual investment in WSS
|valign="top"| n/a
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Share of self-financing by utilities
|valign="top"| Nil
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Share of tax-financing
|valign="top"| n/a
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Share of external financing
|valign="top"| n/a
|-
!align="center" bgcolor="lightblue" colspan="3"|Institutions
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Decentralization to municipalities
|valign="top"| No
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|National water and sanitation company
|valign="top"| Yes
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Water and sanitation regulator
|valign="top"| Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Responsibility for policy setting
|valign="top"| Ministry of Housing and Water
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Sector law
|valign="top"| None
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Number of urban service providers
|valign="top"| 1
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Number of rural service providers
|valign="top"| n/a
|-
|}

Key issues in the water

Water supply

Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...

and sanitation

Sanitation

Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...

sector in Guyana

Guyana

Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...

are poor service quality, a low level of cost recovery and low levels of access. A high-profile management contract with the British company Severn Trent

Severn Trent

Severn Trent plc is a British public utility. It is traded on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.Severn Trent is a group of companies employing more than 15,000 people across the UK, US and mainland Europe, with some involvement in the Middle East.The main...

has been cancelled by the government in February 2007. In 2008 the public utility Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) was in the process of implementing a Turnaround Plan to reduce non-revenue water

Non-revenue water

Non revenue water is water that has been produced and is “lost” before it reaches the customer. Losses can be real losses or apparent losses . High levels of NRW are detrimental to the financial viability of water utilities, as well to the quality of water itself...

and to financially consolidate the utility.

Access

Data on access to drinking water supply and sanitation in Guyana differ depending on the source of information. The two key sources of information are the 2002 census and the 2000 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey.

Overview

The Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for water and sanitation of WHO

Who

Who may refer to:* Who , an English-language pronoun* who , a Unix command* Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism- Art and entertainment :* Who? , a 1958 novel by Algis Budrys...

/UNICEF quotes the following data from the 2000 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey:

		Urban (38% of the population)	Rural (62% of the population)	Total
Water	Broad definition	83%	83%	83%
Water	House connections	66%	45%	53%
Sanitation	Broad definition	86%	60%	70%
Sanitation	Sewerage	33%	0%	13%

Source: Joint Monitoring Program WHO

Who

Who may refer to:* Who , an English-language pronoun* who , a Unix command* Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism- Art and entertainment :* Who? , a 1958 novel by Algis Budrys...

/UNICEF(JMP/2006). Data for water and sanitation based on the Guyana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, July 2001.

Despite increases in coverage, only about 53% of Guyana’s population has access to house connections for water supply, and only 13% has access to sewerage, according to the survey data. Access using a broader definition is higher (83% for water - including rainwater harvesting - and 70% for sanitation), but still insufficient.

Water supply

The 2002 census offers shows a more detailed breakdown of these numbers than the WHO/UNICEF JMP data. The census data are not differentiated by urban or rural areas, but they differentiate by main source of drinking water supply and main source of water supply for non-potable uses. Many households have access to several sources of water supply - such as rainwater harvesting, public supply and bottled water - balancing the availability and quality of the various sources.

Drinking water supply

The first figure shows data from the 2002 census, while the figure in brackets shows the figures from the 2000 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey.

Piped into dwelling 26% (23%)
Piped into yard 34% (28%)
Public standpipe 5% (10%)
Rainwater harvesting 15% (20%)
Other improved source 2% (2%)
Bottled water 8% (6%)
Water vendor 3% (1%)
Other unimproved source 7% (10%)

The census and the cluster survey consider rainwater harvesting as an improved source of drinking water supply, but does not consider bottled water as such. Therefore, access to an improved source of drinking water supply according to these definitions was 82% according to the 2002 census and 83% according to the 2000 cluster survey.

Access to an improved source for drinking water supply is lowest in the Hinterland, in particular in regions 8 and 9.

Water supply for non-potable uses

	Private	Public	Other	Total
Piped into dwelling	9%	29%		38%
Piped into yard	6%	33%		39%
Other			23%	23%
Total	15%	62%	23%	100%

Source: Guyana 2002 Census, p. 129

Other sources of water supply for non-potable uses include rainwater catchment (5%); public standpipes or pumps (3%); private wells (1%); rivers, creeks, streams, ponds and springs (11%); and others (3%).

Sanitation

According to the 2002 census, only 5% of the population had access to a W.C. linked to a sewer; 36% had access to a W.C. linked to a cesspit or septic tank; 56% had access to a pit latrine; and 2% had not access to sanitation facilities. The census does not allow to determine the type of latrine used, and thus it cannot be deducted from the data what is the share of population with access to adequate sanitation.

Sewers only exist in the capital, Georgetown. Regions 7, 8 and 9 in the Hinterland show the highest share of population with no access to sanitation, each with more than 15% of the population without access.

Service quality

Service quality for customers connected to the public system is poor, including low water pressure in most service areas, intermittent supply in all service areas, and a high risk of bacterial contamination due to the fact that about half of the public supplies receive no disinfection.

Throughout the coastal area of the country the aquifer that supplies most of the drinking water has a high level of iron, making the water red. Iron removal plants are being built to remedy the problem.

Water resources

Guyana, meaning "land of many waters", is rich in water resources. Most of the population is concentrated in the coastal plain, much of which is below sea level and is protected by a series of sea walls. A series of shallow reservoirs inland of the coastal plain, called "water conservancies", store surface water primarily for irrigation needs.

Groundwater, which consists of three distinct aquifers, provides about 90% of the domestic water needs of the country. The groundwater system comprises three aquifers:

The "upper" sand is the shallowest of the three aquifers and its depth varies from 30 to 60 m, with thickness ranging from 15 to 120 m. It is not used as a source of water because of its high iron content (>5 mg/l) and salinity (up to 1,200 mg/l).
The "A" sand is typically encountered between 200 and 300 m below the surface with thickness ranging from 15 to 60 m. Water from the "A" aquifer requires treatment for the removal of iron.
The "B" sand is found at about 300 to 400 m with thickness of between 350 and 800 m. Water from this aquifer has very little iron, a high temperature and a trace of hydrogen sulphide which can be treated with aeration.

From about 1913 to 1993, the head in the "A sand" aquifer has declined by 20 meters. According to a 1998 study by the US Army Corps of Engineers, long-term studies are needed to determine the capability of the aquifer to sustain increased withdrawals. Hydrological data are lacking throughout the country, particularly since the late 1960s when data collection decreased dramatically.

History and recent events

Institutionally the sector has evolved from two separate utilities, GS&WC and GUYWA, which were merged in 2002 into a single utility, Guyana Water Inc. (GWI). In 2003 a five-year management contract was signed, which was cancelled by the government in 2007. The utility is now attempting to consolidate itself under a Turnaround Plan.

Georgetown Sewerage and Water Commissioners (GS&WC)

The Georgetown Sewerage and Water Commissioners were established in 1929 under British colonial rule to operate and maintain the sewerage and waterworks of Central Georgetown.

After the independence of Guyana in 1966 the Pure Water Supply Division of the Ministry of Public Works was responsible for policy setting in the water sector, as well as for water supply outside of Georgetown. The Ministry of Health had the responsibility for sewerage and sanitation activities.

Guyana Water Authority (GUYWA)

The Guyana Water Authority (GUYWA) was established in 1972 to construct, operate and maintain water distribution systems outside of Georgetown to small towns, rural areas and most of the Hinterland regions, taking over the water service provision in these regions from the Ministry of Public Works. GUYWA was under the policy direction of the Ministry of Public Works, Communications and Regional Development. In 1984 responsibility for provision of water services was also placed in the hands of the Regional Democratic Councils, one for each of the country's 10 regions

Regions of Guyana

Guyana is divided into 10 regions:Each region is administered by a Regional Democratic Council which is headed by a Chairman. The regions are divided into neighbourhood councils. known as Neighbourhood Democratic Councils .-External links:...

, working alongside GUYWA.

In 1994 GS&WC was made an autonomous public sector institution under the control of the Minister of Works and Communications through the Georgetown Sewerage and Water Amendment Act Number 4.

Reorganization, creation of GWI and private sector participation

In 2000, with the assistance of the donor community led by the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), and the World Bank

World Bank

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...

, the Government of Guyana embarked on a reorganization of the water sector with the goal of increasing access to safe and affordable water. Specifically it aimed to achieve: (i) a modern, efficient, and customer-oriented utility

Utility

In economics, utility is a measure of customer satisfaction, referring to the total satisfaction received by a consumer from consuming a good or service....

; (ii) long-term financial sustainability; and (iii) an institutional framework characterized by independent regulatory functions and a clear division of responsibilities. The Caribbean Development Bank

Caribbean Development Bank

The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries...

, the European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

and the European Investment Bank

European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank is the European Union's long-term lending institution established in 1958 under the Treaty of Rome. A policy-driven bank, the EIB supports the EU’s priority objectives, especially European integration and the development of economically weak regions...

also supported the reforms with financial commitments.

In 2002 the Water and Sewerage Act was passed, which merged the Georgetown Sewerage and Water Commissioners (GS&WC) and the Guyana Water Authority (GUYWA), to form Guyana Water Inc. (GWI). In January 2003 a performance-based five-year management contract

Management contract

A management contract is an arrangement under which operational control of an enterprise is vested by contract in a separate enterprise which performs the necessary managerial functions in return for a fee. Management contracts involve not just selling a method of doing things but involves...

was awarded to an international private operator, Severn Trent

Severn Trent

Water International (STWI). The contract was fully funded through a grant from the British government. Furthermore, the mandate of the existing Public Utility Commission (PUC) was extended to review water tariffs. A ten year investment program was elaborated and drinking water standards were established.

Termination of management contract and Turnaround Plan

In February 2007 the government terminated the management contract alleging that the company failed to meet five out of the seven objectives in the contract. Minister of Housing and Water Harry Narine Nawbatt said that the decision was influenced by the results of an audit into STWI’s performance carried out by the consulting firm Halcrow

Halcrow Group Limited

Halcrow Group Limited is an engineering consultancy company, based in the United Kingdom.Halcrow is one of the UK's leading consultancies, with a pedigree stretching back to 1868. The UK-based consultancy specialises in the provision of planning, design and management services for infrastructure...

.

According to the Minister, four out of the five missed targets were:

Severn Trent was expected to reduce the levels of non-revenue water to 25% by the end of 2005, but according to the audit report this target was not achieved and stood at 66.5% at the end of 2005.
Severn Trent also allegedly failed to increase revenue collection by 90% as stipulated by the management contract.
The contract also stipulated that 85% of GWI's customers should be metered by the end of 2005, but only 24.7% of the customers were metered at that time.
52 per cent of the Amerindian settlements should have received potable water by 2005, but only 4.3 per cent of those settlements actually received water.

STWI, however, pointed out a number of achievements during the four years it operated in Guyana: "significant improvements in water quality"; an alleged reduction of non-revenue water

Non-revenue water

from 61% to 44% (a figure that is in contradiction with what the government says was the result of the audit); an alleged increase in hours of water supplied and system pressure by more than 80%; an alleged increase in revenues from G$ 900m 2002 to G$1.7bn in 2006; the introduction of a customer information and billing system; and emergency supplies during the 2005 floods. STWI also pointed out several factors beyond its control that made it difficult to achieve its contractual targets: a disastrous flood in 2005; energy costs increasing by over 40%; the difficulty of recruiting and retaining qualified Guyanese staff; and the lack of timely government approval of investment programs and of the appointment of key Guyanese staff.

In December 2007 the government approved a Turnaround Plan for GWI, focusing on reducing non-revenue water and financially consolidating the utility.

Responsibility for water and sanitation

Responsibility for sector policy is vested in the Ministry of Housing and Water. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC), a multi-sectoral regulatory body, is in charge of reviewing water and sewer tariffs. However, the PUC seems to be less autonomous from government than other utility regulators in the Caribbean. Local government plays no role in the sector.

Water and sewerage service provision is the responsibility of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), a commercial public enterprise. GWI's service area is divided into five divisions along the Coast, numbered 1-5 from West to East. The Hinteland is served by a separate unit within GWI which provides support to community-based organizations that provide services in that part of the country.

Efficiency

An estimation of non-revenue water

Non-revenue water

is difficult, since only 25% of consumers were metered in 2007. Nevertheless, GWI tentatively estimates non-revenue water at more than 70%.

Labor productivity in GWI is relatively high with a ratio of 3 staff per 1,000 connections in 2007. This is partly due to the contracting out of services such as leak repairs.

Financial aspects

The national water utility uses a highly complex tariff system. It does not recover operation and maintenance costs, and receives operational subsidies from the government. Investments are financed through external assistance and investment subsidies from the government.

Tariffs

The tariff system used by GWI is highly complex, consisting of 27 different water tariffs and 4 sewer tariffs in 2007. Water tariffs are differentiated between metered

Water metering

Water metering is the process of measuring water use through water meters.- Prevalence :Water metering is common for residential and commercial drinking water supply in many countries, as well as for industrial self-supply with water. However, it is less common in irrigated agriculture, which is...

and un-metered customers; domestic, commercial, institutional and industrial customers; whether customers are former customers of GUYWA (outside the capital) or GS & WC (in Georgetown); and the rateable value of properties in the case of domestic customers.

In 2007 most domestic customers were categorized in the lowest category of rateable property value and were unmetered. Outside Georgetown these customers were charged a flat rate of 8,899 Guyanese dollar (US$ 47) per year, equivalent to US$ 3.90 per month. In Georgetown they were charged a flat rate of 11,799 Guyanese dollar (US$ 62), equivalent to US$ 5.18 per month. Domestic customers in high rateable properties paid about 80% more.

Metered tariffs for domestic customers in the lowest category of rateable property value are set at 61 Guyanese dollar per cubic meter (US$ 0.32/m³) outside Georgetown and 63 Guyanese dollar per cubic meter (US$ 0.33/m³) in Georgetown. At a consumption of 20 cubic meter per month (133 liter/capita/day for a family of five) that tariff would be equivalent to an increase of the water bill of 64% for customers outside Georgetown and 28% for customers in Georgetown compared to the currently prevailing flat rate for unmetered customers.

Sewer tariffs for domestic unmetered customers are set at 4,999 Guyanese dollars per year (US$ 26), or 42% of the water bill or a low rateable domestic customer in Georgetown.

GWI plans to rationalize its tariff system. Any modification in tariffs needs to be approved by the Public Utility Commission. In addition, due to the political sensitivity of water tariffs, any modification de facto also needs to be approved by Cabinet.

Billing and cost recovery

The billing cycle for unmetered customers is annual and most users, including many with water meters, are so far billed a flat rate only. Bills for metered customers whose meters are being read are sent out on a quarterly basis. The level of cost recovery is low. According to GWI's Turnaround Plan, the utility's average billing efficiency in the 2003-2006 period was only 68%, meaning that 32% of its customers did not pay their bills. In 2006 GWI collected revenues of only G$ 1.2 billion, while operation and maintenance costs stood at G$ 3.5 billion, including more than 60% paid for electricity, mainly for pumping. The difference was partly made up by a government subsidy of G$ 1.4 billion, and partly resulted in unpaid bills to GWI's suppliers and deferred maintenance.

Investment and financing

Past investment levels were low and investments were predominantly financed by external donors. The utility now intends to increase its investments to US$ 21.2 million in the 2008-2010 period, equivalent to US$ 7 million per year or US$ 9/capita/year. The investments are intended to be used primarily to reduce non-revenue water

Non-revenue water

and to rehabilitate the sewerage

Sanitary sewer

A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...

system in Georgetown

Georgetown, Guyana

Georgetown, estimated population 239,227 , is the capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.' Georgetown is located at . The city serves...

. US$ 6.4 million (30%) of the investment program is being funded from existing commitments from three donors (the World Bank

World Bank

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...

, IDB

IDB

IDB can mean:* Inter-American Development Bank, also known as IADB* IDB Communications Group, Inc., a constituent of MCI Inc.* Illegal Diamond Buying, the term used at the turn of the 19th-20th century for diamond trading outside the De Beers cartel....

and DFID). The remainder is expected to be financed by existing government commitments from its own resources, as well as by additional commitments expected from the government and donors.

External Cooperation

Currently the main external partners for the sector are the Inter-American Development Bank

Inter-American Development Bank

The Inter-American Development Bank is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean...

, DFID from the UK and the World Bank

World Bank

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...

. The European Union, the Caribbean Development Bank

Caribbean Development Bank

The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries...

and the government of Japan through JICA

JICA

KF3 is a kart racing class for top drivers aged 12 to 15 .This class used to be called Junior Intercontinental A and has changed since January 2007 when CIK-FIA decided to replace the 100 cc air-cooled two-stroke engines with 125 cc Touch-and-Go water-cooled two-stroke...

. In the past USAID was also involved in supporting water supply in Guyana, particularly in the coastal area outside of Georgetown.

Inter-American Development Bank

The Georgetown II Water Supply & Sewer System Program was a US$30m project approved in 1999 that aimed "to improve sanitary conditions in Georgetown and reduce current levels of environmental degradation by improving the quality of the water supply and sewerage services". The three program components were: (a) further improving the availability and quality of potable water and the reliability of the distribution system; (b) improving the sewerage system; and (c) strengthening the Georgetown Sewerage and Water Commissioners (GS&WC), the service provider for Georgetown at the time of the project's approval and one of the two predecessors of GWI. After a cancellation of part of the funding as part of a debt relief package for Guyana, the size of the project was reduced to US$ 16.4 million. The project closed in 2010 after achieving only some of its objectives: Water pressure increased from 2 pound per square inch (psi) to 6 psi, short of the target of 10psi; the iron content of drinking water declined after two water treatment plants were commissioned in 2010; non-revenue water apparently declined, althoough exact numbers are not available; seage pumps stations were built, but it is too early to determine if they will be properly operated and maintained; a septic tank disposal facility has been built, but was not operational; water metering in Georgetown was increased to 50%, short of the target of 80%; and no significant improvements were reached in terms of collection efficiendy and cost recovery. The IDB is preparing two new water and sanitation projects in Guyana, a US$10million Georgetown sanitation improvement project and a US$12m+ project to rehabilitate the water system of Guyana's second largest town, Linden

Linden, Guyana

Linden is the second largest town in Guyana after Georgetown, and capital of the Upper Demerara-Berbice region, located at , altitude 48 metres . It was declared a town in 1970, and includes the communities of MacKenzie and Wismar. It lies on the Demerara River and has a population of roughly...

United Kingdom (DFID)

The UK approved a 13 million Pound Sterling water sector program in 2000, aiming at "providing sustainable universal access to safe and affordable water, focusing on peri-urban and rural areas, secondary towns and the Guyana hinterland." The introduction of private sector participation through a performance based management contract was considered "a key feature of the process" and "a critical success factor in achieving the overall project goal". The project also aimed at creating a single service provider, GWI. The project closed in 2009, the creation of GWI having been achieved, but the management contract having failed. No project completion report was available on DFID's website as of May 2011.

World Bank

The Water Sector Consolidation Project is a US$ 12.3m project approved in 2005 that "aims to support the achievement of sustainable universal access to safe and affordable water for the population of Guyana, especially the poor." The project's amin component foresees the construction of water treatment plants and associated transmission and distribution infrastructure, including metering, in three systems: Anna Regina

Anna Regina

Anna Regina is the capital of the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region of Guyana. It stands on the Atlantic coast, northwest of the mouth of the Essequibo River, 19 km north of Adventure. Anna Regina was established as a town in 1970. Its population was 12,448 in 2002....

area water supply system in Division 1 of GWI; Parika

Parika

Parika is a port township located in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region of Guyana. It is popular for its ferry service, operated by the Ministry of Transportation, to and from the Essequibo Islands and West Demerara area. It is also notable for its Sunday markets...

area water supply system in Division 2; and Rosignol

Rosignol

Rosignol is a small town on the west bank of the Berbice River in Guyana at .The town is important because it has a port, the Rosignol Stelling, that is the main crossing point on the western bank of the Berbice River...

area water supply system in Division 4. These investments are expected to provide a continuous supply of iron-free water under good pressure, as opposed to the current level of supply which consists of intermittent supply of water with a high iron content at mostly low pressure.

European Union

The European Union finances a water, sanitation and hygiene program for Hinterland communities implemented by the Guyana Red Cross Society with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...

. The 3-year program is being implemented in Regions 1 and 9.

Caribbean Development Bank

The Caribbean Development Bank

Caribbean Development Bank

The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries...

provides funding for small-scale water infrastructure through the Basic Needs Trust Fund.

Japan

The Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency

Japan International Cooperation Agency

The Japan International Cooperation Agency is an independent governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan...

(JICA), provided a grant of US$12m to finance the construction of two water treatment plants and associated pipes in the Corriverton

Corriverton

Corriverton is the most easterly town in Guyana. It lies at the mouth of the Corentyne River, opposite Nieuw Nickerie, Suriname, to which it is linked by ferry from South Drain....

area on the coast near the border with Suriname

Suriname

Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...

. The project aims to provide water to 33,000 residents in over 23 villages. The first of the two plants was inaugurated in March 2008.

Sources

Organización Mundial de Salud (OMS): Evaluación de los Servicios de Agua Potable y Saneamiento 2000 en las Américas Guyana
Guyana Water Inc.
Bureau of Statistics
US Army Corps of Engineers: Water Resources Assessment of Guyana, 1998
FAO Aquastat Information System on Water and Agriculture: Guyana 2000
The World Bank's Water Sector Consolidation Project

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