NGI owes K2.7m to water supplier

WATER users in the New Guinea Islands have an outstanding bill of about K2.7 million and PNG Waterboard (PNGWB) branches have embarked on major disconnection exercises to recoup this amount.
PNGWB issued a public notice yesterday advising customers in Kokopo, Rabaul and Nonga on the  disconnection exercise to commence next Monday (Nov 1)for the next two weeks.
Branch manager Ian Leklek said the exercise was part of the nationwide operation to recover K30 million in bills from waters users in the country.
Kokopo had an outstanding amount of K1.4 million while Rabaul had more than K600,000 in bills for more than 120 customers.
Leklek said the major disconnection operation was the last resort they would be taking and would also be involving police to prosecute those involved in illegal connections.
New Ireland had an outstanding of K650,000 and according to the branch manager, their disconnection exercise would be focused on 5 zones beginning today.
They would begin with customers owing large amounts.
In West New Britain, PNGWB branch manager Danny Seolo said customers there owed more than K130,000.
He said, however, they chose not to have major disconnections but were conducting exercises on an ad hoc basis reminding clients to pay up.
Seolo said the problem of illegal connection was mostly experienced in settlements.
Attempts by The National to talk to PNGWB in Manus was unsuccessful as the phones kept  ringing out.