Concerns over locals damaging pipes

POLICE and town authorities in Daru are concerned about the damaging of pipes by people trying to access water as the dry weather begins to take its toll in Western.
Acting South Fly Police Commander Inspector Soiwa Ricker said the damaging of pipes had affected water supply to town residents.
“The water supply for the town is from Oriomo River on the mainland,” he said.
“Villagers near the river delta damage the pipes to access water, affecting the supply to the island.
“We want to go to the River to protect the pipe but the South Fly Districts Administration has no funds to help us”.
Ricker said yesterday that the El Nino session was forcing the drought-stricken people on the main land to damage the pipes, worsening the plight of the equally drought-stricken 20,000 residents on Daru Island.
“The damaging of the pipes is an ongoing incident,” he said.
“But this time it is worse given the drought situation.
“Previously, when pipes had been damaged, the residents still had water from the wells that they had dug.
“But now all the wells are dry and the town water supply is the only water source for the town residents.
“We have water from the eight bore water wells that were drilled by the Baptist Drillers.
“But then bore water is not accepted by the residents.
“What we need is a desalination project to covert sea water into fresh water”.
Meanwhile, Daru town mayor Samuel Winggu also expressed similar sentiments on the damaging of the town’s water supply pipes.
“We did not have water for the past three days because villagers on the main land had broken the pipes to have access to water,” he said.
“Water PNG officers have approached me expressing their concern about this situation.
“And we are now looking at ways to prevent mainland villagers damaging the water pipes.
“In the meantime, residents still have access to the water from the bore water well.
“And we are advising them to boil the water before drinking.
“So the water from the Bore well is still safe for human consumption”.
Winggu said that because of the ongoing water shortages on the island he had paid Baptist Drillers Ltd K250,000 from the South Fly district service improvement programme funds to drill eight wells.
“And these bore water wells were built this year to allow the people to access fresh water from the bore water supply,” he said.
“Fresh water is needed on Daru.
“We mostly have no water due to the deteriorating condition of the water pipes.
“The pipes were laid in the 1960s and now Water PNG can’t fix up the pipes.”