Desalination Plants for Bougainville
The atolls of Bougainville are going to be the recipients of 5 new Solar Mini Grids and Desalination Plants as part of Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama’s 2023 High Impact Projects.
The project costing K9.5 million was awarded to a local contractor DNF Engineering, to carryout the design and construction of the project which will be rolled out in the next seven months.
The project will be constructed on Petats, Nissan, Fead, Mortlock and Tasman Islands and provide electricity and freshwater for the islands communities.
The Atolls are some of the most logistically challenged places in Bougainville and Papua New Guinea.
While they have an abundance of marine resources to depend on for food and revenue their biggest need is access to clean safe water.
President Toroama said that the project is designed to provide the people with the basic necessities of life and improve their livelihood within their communities.
“The rest of Bougainville takes for granted our ease of access to clean and safe drinking water. On the atolls it is a precious resource that they conserve and use wisely,” President Toroama said.
“Access to clean and safe drinking water is a universal right that I want our people in the Atolls to have. I urge our people in the Atolls to take ownership of this important development and use it to empower our communities,” President Toroama said.
President Toroama said that clean energy is the way to go with energy generation and the plants will not cause any harm to the environment and marine life in atolls.
President Toroama revealed that there were several other communities throughout Bougainville who would become beneficiaries of the project in its second phase next year.
The Mini Solar Grid and Desalination Plants will be constructed on communal areas such as churches and schools to enable greater community access by the people.
The Office of the President will also be conducting a feasibility study on the possible construction of a larger plant for Buin, Buka and Arawa Towns in the near future.
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