The National Water Council comprising eight independent professionals is now in operation and will advise the government on the management of water resources.
Navin Chandrapal heads the council, which was yesterday officially declared functional by Minister of Housing and Water Harrinarine Nawbatt at Red House, High Street, Kingston.
Chandrapal and his seven-member team are expected to facilitate the promotion of the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) but their primary function would be to advise the Minister of Water on the implementing, developing and amending of the national water policy, make recommendations on the policy and several other functions stipulated in the Act.
The council will meet at least every three months and will also hold an annual public forum. Added to this, the council will have to submit an annual written report to the minister on the work it has done.
Following the official launch, members of the council as well as the Environ-mental Protection Agency (EPA), Hydrometeorological Division and the Public Health Department, all of whom will be special invitees at the council’s meetings, were presented with copies of the Guyana Water and Sewage Act.
While delivering the main charge, Nawbatt stressed that the formation of the council could not have occurred at a better time given the pressing management challenges facing the water sector in Guyana. He added that this achievement is a momentous one in Guyana’s history.
He said the idea for the establishment of the council came about just over a year ago during discussions that focused not only on the delivery of potable water but also on proper management of the sources of fresh water.
The minister stressed that the National Water Council was never intended to be an entity representative of any agency but rather an advisory forum and so it would not undertake water monitoring studies or other sector projects.
“The council will maintain a neutral position between sub-sectors taking due account of the overarching issues of sustainable development, social inclusion and equity. It will operate in close co-ordination with all other parties in the water sector,” he said.
He disclosed that as part of its advisory role, the council would address water policy, domestic water supply policy, droughts and flood management, control of river corridor activities and public information and awareness activities.
In speaking about the selection of the members, the minister said they were selected on the basis of technical competence and credibility, sound professional qualifications, knowledge and experience of the wider water sector.
The minister also noted the importance of this commodity, especially at a time when there are rising concerns over climate change globally.
In Guyana, he said, there are demands for water in the sub-sectors of economic development, environment, transport, irrigation and agricultural uses, domestic water supply, industrial use and power generation.
For the agricultural sector, he said, the water supply was insufficient as it already consumes 80% of the total water supply in the country.
To add to this problem a large amount of Guyana’s water resources is lost through inefficient water use and leakages through old infrastructure – a 30% water loss.
Chandrapaul said further that one of the council’s main features would be to modify the National Water Policy.
He said there was need to ensure that fresh water sources were maintained so that citizens could feel safe to using it, adding that it is essential that resources are not wasted but rather utilized to the maximum.
He assured the minister that the council would soon make its first input to the national water policy based on the guidelines of the Act.
Karan Singh, John Da Silva, Timothy Innis, Harold Davis, Ricky Roopchand, Parmeshwarie Pitamber and Kailas Nayaran are the other members of the council.
