Port Moresby low on water

Residents warned as water reservoir level sinks to an all time low

PORT MORESBY – A serious water situation is developing in the capital Port Moresby where residents have been urged to conserve and use water supplies wisely.

That was message delivered water service provider Eda Ranu in an urgent news conference this week.

Eda Ranu chief executive officer Henry Mokono told reporters that the city’s sole water supply from the Sirinumu Dam is at a critically low level and there is no indication when enough rain might come to fill the catchment – and this being the time of year which usually signals the start of the wet season.

“Our message to Port Moresby residents, business houses, settlements and Motuan villages who depend on this source, is to be extra careful and manage the use of water wisely,” Mokono said.

He said the El Nino-induced weather is gaining momentum and the amount of water at Sirinumu is very unpredictable so users must take ownership and preserve water at all costs.

“Whether you are a big company paying huge water bills or an individual, it doesn’t matter, just be water wise.

“There should not be any washing of vehicles, watering of plants using hoses, ignoring water leakages or deliberately using water for commercial purposes because every pint is valuable at this time.”

Mokono said that the water company has a contingency plan in place which will include awareness campaigns and water rationing.

In August, Eda Ranu advised that the water level was at 167.12 million cubic metres which represent an all time low of 49 per cent.

The Sirunum Dam was designed to hold 340 million cubic metres of water but as of last weekend it has dropped well below the halfway mark.