A first drill test of the desalination project was successfully carried out on Bipi island, Manus Province, last week.
Officers from Sojitz Corporation (contractors), the engineers of the seawater source well sites, staff from Department of National Planning & Monitoring and the national project manager of the PEC (Pacific Environment Community) fund desalination project, Tom Anayabere were welcomed into Bipi on Thursday.
They were greeted by dancers on the beachfront before a traditional washing of their faces was done to ward off evil spirits.
The first drill test took place that same afternoon at one of the identified beach well site before it was completed with PVC conduit.
Anayabere said test drilling was to establish salinity and quality of the beach well source water for the desalination equipment during a complete 24hr cycle of the tide.
“The tests were to determine the ratio of seawater to fresh ground water at different levels of the tide. The best sample collected was 90 percent fresh water to 10 percent seawater at the lowest level of the tide.
“Samples were collected at varying tide levels throughout a 24hr period. These data will be used in the determination and manufacture of the appropriate RO membrane filters for this desalination project,” he said.
The next project test drilling will take place on the islands of Mbuke and Whal.
(Caption: First test drilling on Bipi Island site 1 on Thursday afternoon after the formal welcome. Overlooking the drilling are Japanese engineers of the project.)
Pictures courtesy of Tom Anayabere.
