The residents of Sunny Point have gained access to clean drinking water. President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons and director Clifton Lienga of the Surinaamsche Waterleiding Maatschappij (SWM, Suriname Water Supply Company) officially commissioned the drinking water system on Friday, October 16, 2026. By turning on a water tap, the facility was symbolically handed over to the community.
During the commissioning, President Simons stressed that access to clean drinking water is a basic need and that, despite limited financial resources, the government remains committed to making this facility accessible to the population.
The drinking water issue in Sunny Point has been ongoing for some time. According to the head of state, the area was supplied through water deliveries from 2014, but this came to an end in 2019. Since then, access to reliable drinking water has been an important concern for residents.
“Wins’ moni no de furu, we prakseri a volk” (When money is scarce, we think of the people), Simons said. With this, she indicated that the government continues to seek solutions for society’s basic needs despite the financial challenges. In addition to drinking water, she also mentioned housing and healthcare as important priorities.
Simons: Drinking water must primarily be available to the population
The president further stressed that the interests of the Surinamese population must come first in the distribution of drinking water. According to her, commercial water sales must not come at the expense of citizens’ access to this essential facility.
“A watra na fu wi alamala. Surinamers hebben op de eerste plaats recht op het water” (The water belongs to all of us. Surinamese people have the primary right to the water), the head of state stated.
With this statement, she underlined that drinking water must primarily be a basic service for society.
Residents can register with identity card
SWM director Clifton Lienga expressed his appreciation during the meeting for the cooperation of residents and the government. According to him, this cooperation contributed to the smooth progress of the preparations.
To make connection to the water supply network easier for residents, it was decided to relax the registration procedure. Residents only need to present their identity card to register.
In addition, each building will receive its own water tap. With this, the SWM aims to prevent conflicts among residents over water use and payment of the water bill.
Lienga pointed out that residents must officially register and should not install connections independently. He also indicated that options can be explored to pay connection costs in instalments.
Further expansion of water supply network necessary
Although the drinking water system has now officially been commissioned, additional work still needs to be carried out to further improve the water supply.
One of the planned activities concerns the construction of a connection between Blok 3 and Leiding 20. This connection is intended to contribute to the further expansion of the water supply network in the area.
Finally, the SWM director appealed to residents to use drinking water responsibly and protect the installed infrastructure. He warned against damage to water pipes and stressed that careful use is necessary to sustainably maintain the facility.
