Communities learn about water vending

By LESLIE OMARO

A WATER vending seminar with the aim of encouraging consumers in settlements and villages to pay for the water they use got under way in Port Moresby yesterday.

Association of Small Scale Water Providers chairperson and founder Elsa Meija, from the Philippines, spoke about her experience in the water vending business.

The water committee comprises members of respective communities and their basic role is to monitor the water supply into communities and collect fees from users and in turn pay the bills to Eda Ranu.

Some of the members present came from settlements and villages in NCD, especially Sabama, 8-Mile, Garden Hills, 9-Mile and Porebada village.

Meija told the community representatives that water into the settlements in the Papua New Guinea context could work smoothly if the communities understood the water vending concept well.

"The three things that can make the concept successfully is that the community must be convinced, must have a very strong community involvement and the collection efficiency must be 100%," she said.

Meija said her water vending system was home-grown and she first thought of the idea in 1997.

"I was a housewife and people in my community came to me every time and asked me for water so I decided to start up my own water vending business.

"When people asked me why I started this business my first answer was, I had no idea," she said.

Eda Ranu chief executive officer Billy Imar said in contrast to the water vending concept, Eda Ranu’s process in dealing with water supply consumption in peri-urban areas was done through the establishment of water committees in villages and settlements.

"The water vending concept is a business venture and could be operated by an individual or group by operating a bank account, an office and having manpower with plumbing skills."