Eda Ranu plans water plant

By MALUM NALU
EDA Ranu plans to build another water treatment plant, says chief executive officer Henry Mokono.
He told The National that the company’s priority this year was to secure funding, in conjunction with its build-operate transfer (BOT) partners, to build a new low-level water treatment plant.
He said the current capacity at Mt Eriama was “in a very critical stage”.
“The treatment capacity is about 184 to 200 mega-liters a day. The demand for water within Port Moresby has absolutely grown,” he said.
“About 40 years ago when this facility was constructed, it was to cater for a population size of about 100,000.”
Mokono said Eda Ranu, as the water and sanitation provider for Port Moresby, had an obligation to provide the services to all residential areas and institutions in the city, as well as settlements and Motuan villages.
“The demand is too high for the current supply that we have. So we need to roll out a second treatment plant to cater for the low-lying areas of Port Moresby like Morata, Tokarara and June Valley, as well as other areas towards the western side of the city,” he said.
“The current facility at Mt Eriama should really target the higher areas like Touaguba Hill and Downtown Port Moresby.
“When we have a new facility in place, it will solve the demand for water and sanitation in the city.”
Mokono said there was also a need to extend sewerage treatment facilities in the city.
He said Kumul Consolidated Holdings was behind the building of a new sewerage treatment facility in Moresby-South with Japanese assistance.
“That will cater for the south side of Moresby – from Hanuabada all the way to Kilakila’s Joyce Bay,” Mokono said.