Water PNG reveals plans to increase revenue

WATER PNG (WPNG) board chairman Hubert Namani says there is potential for the entity to increase its revenue.
“There is a huge potential to generate more revenue and the strategies and initiatives through implementation of our action plans will increase revenue and reduce debts which are our main focus areas to connect more customers,” he said.
“Lae has existing water infrastructure in place in terms of water production, and treatment, sewer pumping stations, reservoir and stabilisation tanks, trunk mains, distribution systems and sewer lines.
“The distribution system expansion lines will include additional water connections to new customers in the following areas; industrial, commercial, domestic and residential for water systems.
“For sewer systems, some of the areas are not fully reticulated and Water PNG is currently working to reticulate parts of the city that are not connected.
“Water PNG, as a merged entity with the drive to increase revenue, hopes to connect up potential water and sewer customers, including industrial water customers that are connected to our water systems, even those from private bore water facilities.
“Gains in these areas will have an impact in the business in order for us to sustain our operations or re-invest into our Capex programme.
“Regulatory, economic, political, social, environmental and health are the common challenges encountered in Lae, including internal systems and process challenges which has served the Lae centre in the technical, engineering and commercial disciplines.
“To effectively reduce current aging plant issues, Water PNG’s main focus will be in the area of water production, water treatment plants and sewer ponds.
“Rehabilitation and maintenance of the plants and associated systems are captured in the 2021 operations divisional plans as part of WPNG’s 2021 strategic initiatives.
“There are functional and diagnostic assessments in progress to address the current sewage systems in Lae.
“This diagnostic assessment needs to be prioritised and linked to a well-resourced implementation strategy to be progressed over the next two years starting this year.
“WPNG has identified new potential water sources and currently in discussion with the relevant stakeholders.
“These new developments will allow WPNG to expand its network to the industrial hubs of the city but more so improve flow and reliability.