The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is tapping into the bottled water market with the ‘Water Guardian’, which is being sold in attractively labelled five-gallon bottles.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) reported that the water was launched Friday at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, where a bottling plant has been established.
GWI’s Chief Executive Officer Karan Singh said that bottled water has become a trend in Guyana as most people are gravitating away from the tap water.
Before bottling, GINA said, the water is treated at GWI’s water treatment plant also at Pouderoyen and customers will only pay $100 to refill a five-gallon bottle; a sealed bottle costs $2,000.
The GWI CEO said residents of the community cannot expect a better service than the company is offering as the price is almost half of what persons pay in any part of the country.
“We want the community to have affordable water, if they choose to buy bottled water and they don’t want to use the water from the tap, then we are giving them the opportunity to buy a five-gallon bottle of water and at a cheaper rate than what other companies are offering,” Singh is quoted by GINA as saying.
The ‘Water Guardian’ bottling facility has a drive through that will allow customers to refill their bottles while sitting in the comfort of their vehicles. The facility will also offer flexible service hours.
Singh said that GWI is celebrating six years since its establishment and with other anniversaries, there will be more facilities across Guyana to diversify the company’s products.
He noted also that the water company is faced with many challenges such as high electricity bills and has to find ways to reduce losses. Government, however, is supportive and has been assisting the company to lower cost as it relates to charges being allocated to consumers.
Similar facilities are expected to be opened in all the administrative regions, GINA stated.
