Water deal for Gulf

 THE provincial capital of Gulf will  soon have access to clean and safe piped drinking water.

This follows the signing of a contract between WaterPNG and the China Jiangsu International Group last Friday for the Kerema water supply project.

Water PNG acting chief executive officer Raka Taviri signed the deal with China Jiangsu International Group’s representavive, Meck Luo.

The water supply project will be carried out in three stages and will cost about K20 million, with most of the funding coming from the State.

Governor Havila Kavo had given K500,000 to help with the feasibility studies and in which K1.3 million was spent to drill bores.

There is no proper water supply system in Kerema. 

Residents rely on rain water but that becomes a problem during dry spells.

“By April or May 2014, stage one should be commissioned and stage two will involve more technical expertise because areas around the vicinity of the town will be included,” Taviri said. 

That will cost K5.5 million.

The final stage involves the effluent water waste disposal requiring the construction of a sewage sustem.

The contractor already has a partnership with Water PNG. 

Luo said they had done a number of world-class water supply projects in Papua New Guinea in the towns of Madang, Wabag, Maprik and Finschhafen.

Taviri said by the end of 2013, Water PNG would have completed water supply projects in 19 towns.

“The challenge is to reach all the capital and urban centres of PNG ensuring that citizens had supply to clean, affordable and fresh supply of drinking water,” Taviri said.