Water supply needs attention

ASAROKA Lutheran Secondary, one of the oldest pioneer schools in Eastern Highlands, has been constantly experiencing water problems over the decades.
Asaroka was built by early Lutheran Missionaries in the 1950s as a Tok Ples school to train local evangelists and later developed into high school and finally obtain its secondary status in 2003.
Today, Asaroka has more than 60 teaching staff, over 30 ancillary staff and more than 2,500 day and boarding students.
The water supply from the dam site at Mapemo to the school covers a distance of approximately six kilometres.
Frequent water problem and lack of proper regulation system has been the cause of water borne illnesses, encountered due to the aging and deteriorating water supply system.
Flooding during rainy seasons dumps mud and debris at the dam site, preventing the dam to maintain the level of supply.
Locals living along the pipeline areas often damage pipes and leave the school without water for days.
More than 3,000 people from the school and surrounding communities rely on this water supply.
To end this water problem, modern equipment and materials are required to replace and the rebuild old facility using latest technology.

Luwi James
Madang