Waste Water Fund for Guyana

Wastewater fund encouraging private sector to submit proposals for projects

In July, 2011 the Government of Guyana signed an agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for the establishment of the revolving fund for financing wastewater management projects in Guyana. This agreement was to facilitate a programme to address the need for increased coverage of wastewater treatment in Guyana.

Wastewater treatment which involves the removal of contaminants from liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry and agriculture, is usually considered as a low priority by many in the water and sanitation sector. Fortunately, the Government of Guyana made it a high priority given the relationship between poor sanitation, public health and quality of life.

Also in the context of Guyana, while the protection of coastal waters is not really an issue as is the case in many Caribbean countries, removal of wastewater from the urban environment and improving public health is of primary importance in any wastewater management programme for Guyana. Another important point to note is that as water supply improves, wastewater management becomes essential since more wastewater will be generated.

In all development efforts, policies and strategies must be supported by financing to enable and ensure successful implementation and completion of initiatives. Hence, the Guyana Wastewater Revolving Fund (GWRF) allows for the financing of a variety of wastewater solutions within both the public and private sectors.

This fund will facilitate public-private partnerships (PPPs) between the government and private sector entities to facilitate improved wastewater management solutions to ensure that discharges from municipal, industrial and other sources into the rivers and streams are environmentally acceptable and conform to established regulations and standards.

Under this initiative, the government provides the funding for capital investments in wastewater treatment facilities, through the revolving fund loan facility made possible by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and co-implemented by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). One of the key challenges in the private sector's involvement in wastewater management in Guyana, is affordable financing. As such, the GWRF was established to respond to, and address in part these challenges, by creating a pilot financing mechanism that can be used to provide sustainable financing for environmentally sound and cost-effective wastewater management facilities.

In addition to providing low-interest financing, another objective of the GWRF, is to promote policy and legislative reforms, dialogue, and knowledge exchange with key stakeholders in the wastewater sector in Guyana.

The GWRF also intends to define further the role of the private sector in wastewater management in Guyana. As wastewater management evolves as a development priority, it is imperative that the public and private sectors ensure effective collaboration since there are enormous benefits for both in areas such as tourism, public health, environment and climate change.

Source: StabroekNews.com

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• Treatment
• Sludge Separation
• Governance & Planning