Water supply crisis

By GYNNIE KERO
WATER supply problems in Port Moresby are likely to continue for some time as Water PNG workers continue to clear silt and clay blocking pipes, an official says.
Acting chief executive officer Parkop Kurua yesterday apologised to consumers “for the inconvenience”.
He said: “It is a lengthy and delicate process. In our business, there is no shortcut to restoring water (supply) because we cannot compromise the quality of water we provide. We cannot compromise the lives of people who are using the water.
“I know residents are expressing their disappointments but unfortunately we can’t take short cuts.
“We have established processes and procedures (to follow) before we can open the valve again.”
Water supply was cut off on Saturday, then again on Sunday.
Yesterday, some areas were still without water, while some had muddy-looking water coming out of the taps.
The city consumes 190 million liters per day. At the moment, Water PNG is supplying only 80 million liters.
Kurua said he could not say when a clean water supply to the city would be restored.
“Unfortunately, we cannot put any schedule because we are still filling up our reservoir tanks,” he said.
“When the reservoirs are full, we can confirm that water will be restored.”
Kurua said they were supplying water to only half of Port Moresby.
Some areas will continue to experience low water pressure or no water at all.
Kurua said it might take some time before water supply to the city was fully restored.
He said Water PNG had to completely shut the valve on Sunday after the turbidity level “went past the 1,000 mark”.
Turbidity is caused by particles suspended or dissolved in water that scatter light making the water appear cloudy or murky.
They can include sediment – especially clay and silt.
On Saturday, Water PNG had to shut down to carry out maintenance work on one of its three clarifiers or sedimentation tanks at the Mt Eriama Plant.
They managed to identify the faults.
“We are having these problems with clarifiers at the Mt Eriama facility because of neglect by previous owners and operators,” Kurua said.
The National Executive Council last month approved a budget to build one clarifier for about K61 million.
“We are trying to fix legacy issues,” Kurua said.
“What happened on Sunday was extraordinary for us.
“We had turbidity level rising above 1,000 nephelometric turbidity unit.
“Normally when the turbidity goes up to 600, we shut off the system or valve for raw water getting into the treatment plant.
“What happened on Sunday was extraordinary.”