Port Moresby Residents will expect more water rationing or no water at all due to continuous maintenance work been carried out by Water PNG.
Water PNG’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Parkop Kurua said part of the supply had been restored but more work is still been carried out at the Mt Eriama Water Treatment Plant.
“We cannot give an exact timing for full restoration of water supply because we need to follow our water quality regimes by doing tests on the quality of the water outflows from the reservoirs.”
“Our paramount task here is to ensure water is safe to consume before it is supplied. Our water quality team is currently testing the outflow so based on the testings, our team will give the okay to supply the consumers.”
Currently Water PNG is able to supply only 80-90 million litres per day to the city which is not enough and lower than the usual 190 million litres per day to its consumers.
Mr Kurua however said the problem with clarifier two at the treatment plant was identified and is currently been assessed.
“It’s not an immediate fix. Bishop Brothers is currently looking at the fault and will have to install three new gears in the clarifier sometime this week,” said Mr Kurua.
CEO Kurua also said one of the reasons for the maintenance work at Mt Eriama is because of legacy issues over the years.
“The problems with the clarifiers and the Mt Eriama facility is because of neglect and poor management by previous owners and operators.”
He said for the last 22 years, the facility was poorly managed by the previous operators until in 2019, the asset was transferred to the State without any review and remedial works before Water PNG took over as the operator.
Mr Kurua also brushed aside speculations from the public that Water PNG was worse off than the previous operator claiming the water company was working tirelessly to fix legacy issues.