Technical woes stall water project

 THE Raim-Tanaka water supply project in Gazelle district, East New Britain, has been stalled because of technical problems.

Project team leader Francis Bonava, from the Kairak Training Centre at the University of Natural Resources and Environment, said the drillers were either too small or were malfunctioning.

He said from the Vudal campus that initially the university was only responsible for the design scope of the project and its reticulation.

Bonava said the drilling component of the project was sub-contracted to a company called AA drillers from Karavi ward, in Kokopo, and owned by Andrew August.

He said drilling started in 2011 but the drillers used by the sub-contractor were too small to go deeper.

Bonava said according to the project’s map, water was between 65 metres to 80 metres under the surface.

The company had initially said its drillers could go 100 metres deep.

Bonava said they had to engage another drilling contractor from Kimbe, West New Britain. But it failed because its drillers malfunctioned.

Bonava confirmed the Raim-Tanaka project cost K1.4 million and was part of a K3 million Gazelle district water supply programme that started in 2010.

He said the K1.4m was to set up two standalone systems to supply water to the Raim and Tanaka wards.

Bonava, a qualified mechanical engineer, said the university would complete the project and had designed a new drilling device.

Under the same water supply programme is the Malmaluan-Tavuiliu water supply project, which cost around K1.7m. It has been delayed by land issues.