Water levels in conservancies ‘manageable and safe’ – Irrigation Head

Lionel WordsworthGeorgetown: Days after torrential rains hit the capital and Guyana’s coastland and caused flooding, concerns about repeat incidents of flooding have been raised.

However, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) head, Lionel Wordsworth has assured that all efforts are being made to ensure that drainage systems are fully functioning to avoid this.

In an invited comment yesterday, he also disclosed that the water levels in the major conservancies are being monitored.

“The levels are being monitored and so far the report is that the levels are all manageable and safe,” Wordsworth said.

According to him, the major conversancy, the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) is currently stable at 57.05 Georgetown Datum (GD) over its full supply level of 58GD.

The other conservancies are the Ituribisi Water and Tapacuma Conservancies in Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam), the latter having a capacity of 57.5GD; Boerasirie Conservancy in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), which has a capacity of 61.3GD; and Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary (MMA), in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) which has a full supply level of 64 GD.

Additionally, teams of engineers and officials, since the flooding, have visited all kokers and sluices in Regions 2, 3 and 4 to ensure they are functional. It was found that while most of the pumps and sluices are working, there is the issue of siltation in some areas. Workers have also been engaged to a greater degree in the clearing of garbage across city areas to ensure the smooth drain off of water.

Based on an assessment done by engineers following the heavy rainfall last Thursday, it is the highest recorded in Georgetown with 186 millimeters, (7.25 inches) of rain in a 24-hour period.

Wordsworth, in highlighting this, noted that the drainage systems located on the Coast are designed to take off 1.5 inches of rainfall in any 24-hour period.

Government is expected to continue to invest more resources in drainage infrastructure in the City and along the Coast.