Water PNG starts remedial work

WATER PNG (WPNG) says it has started a series of remedial works since June to address the ongoing water supply issues faced by Port Moresby residents.
The works particularly targeted Badili, Gorobe, Koki, Kaugere, Gabutu, Taikone and Vabukori areas and other high level areas in the city.
The same remedial works were also progressing in other areas of the city with the aim to improve water supply to residents.
WPNG board chairman Aiwa Olmi said Water PNG’s overall long-term objective was to sustain, expand and improve water and sanitation services to the public.
“The series of remedial works currently undertaken, focus on the short and medium term plans to improve water supply and increase pressure to elevated areas in town and far end of the city,” he said.
“Some of the remedial work has been completed like the replacement of trunk mains at the Koki reservoir as well as installations of a new 250mm main along Scratchley Road and 150mm main along Karius Road to supply the high level areas in Gabutu.
“Recently, parts of the city experiencing low water pressure or no water supply at all was due to low production of water at the plant as a result of a blocked screen at Rouna 4 which was filled with debris from the Sirinumu water source combined with repair works to the Bomana raw water intake pumps.
“Our team, on Wednesday inspected and cleared the screen at Rouna four and repair works on the Bomana intake pumps have been completed and in operation.
“The inflow of raw water into Mt Eriama water treatment plant is normalised now.
“The main challenge we are facing is the capacity of the Mt Eriama water treatment plant which has already reached its capacity (184MLD).
“We are taking necessary steps to improve the capacity at the treatment plant with the construction of an additional clarifier.
“This new installation is for redundancy purposes to provide backup to the existing clarifiers should one be down for repair works.
“The non-revenue water reduction project is currently being undertaken in Port Moresby and funded by the Australian government.”