Mald blames Eda Ranu for water woes

MINISTER for Community Development and Moresby Northeast Member of Parliament Andrew Mald is blaming Eda Ranu for water supply problems in settlements of Port Moresby.
Mald brushed aside critics of the water problems faced in the electorate, especially settlements, saying the problem laid with Eda Ranu.
He said Eda Ranu, as a private company, had refused to connect water services to people in settlements.
 “Eda Ranu has its own reasons for not providing water to the settlements, one as settlers fail to pay their rentals and it is expensive to connect pipes to unplanned settlements,” he said.
“Illegal connections are another contributing factor in the refusal by Eda Ranu.”
Eda Ranu said in a statement it was a state-owned entity operating as a business and annually supplied 50% of the city’s water as “non-revenue water to peri-urban settlements”.
“It is irresponsible to blame the water woes of the nation’s capital on Eda Ranu as a utility service provider,” it said.
“This issue needs a holistic approach from entities such as NCDC at the political level and Eda Ranu, as the service provider. It is immature to put the problem squarely on one party.
“As an issue with greater social implications, proper documentation and memorandum of agreements have to be reached among all parties amicably,” it said.
“Eda Ranu has not refused to connect water, all legally established settlements in the nation’s capital have water supply with mechanisms put in place to minimise misuse and abuse.
“It is a fact that it is expensive to supply piped water to peri-urban centres due to many reasons, one of which is illegal connections.
“We understand the woes of city living, but as a business entity, we must look at win-win options for all parties involved,” the company said.