OTML sets K35m water, sewage plan

WESTERN province miner Ok Tedi Mining Ltd (OTML) is set to upgrade the water and sewage system in Kiunga at more than K35 million under the tax credit programme.
The project, expected to start this month  will include the upgrading of the town’s water supply system and the construction of a new sewerage treatment facility.
OTML manager for regional engineering department John Iru, said the current water and sewerage systems could cater for the town’s rapidly increasing population and there was an urgent need to upgrade the facilities.
OTML said in a statement over the last few years there had been a surge in Kiunga’s population, which had seen the number rising from around 9,000 to over 12,000 people.
This has placed a major strain on the town’s water and sewerage systems, which OTML operates as a free service to the town’s residents, which also included almost 140 OTML employees.  
Mr Iru said the upgrading of the water supply system would also include the construction of two new one-mega litre water storage tanks, the rehabilitation of all the boreholes, construction of a new borehole and new raw water and reticulation system.
“The work on the new sewerage system will involve the construction of a new pump station and new sewer main, which will run from the pump station to the new sewerage treatment ponds at the back of the Kiunga Secondary School,” Mr Iru said.
The project has been awarded to C&M Engineers and is expected to be completed by this year end.