Pacific Environment Community

 Nine 20 foot shipping containers were supposed to be opened today for clearance by Customs.

 The National Project manager Tom Anayabere said this will now take place on Tuesday due to rain in Lorengau.

The containers contain solar equipment and  includes backup controls and batteries, plus the actual desalination plant equipment that will be installed in the project islands of Bipi, Mbuke, Whal, Nauna, Mal and Aua.

A delivery of the equipment is expected to be done on Thursday to Bipi island. Mbuke and Whal will receive their plants next 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.

Amongst the team going to Bipi this morning are three Japanese engineers from the Toray Industry, the manufacturers of the desalination plant.

The three arrived in Manus on Wednesday and were welcomed by officers from Sojitz Corporation, (the contractors) 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.

The islands of Bipi, M’buke (including Whal), Nauna, Mal and Aawa will be recipients of the project that will see solar-powered seawater desalination plant systems installed to convert salt water to fresh drinking water.

The signing of this project took place in Port Moresby recently between the Department of National Planning & Monitoring and Sojitz Corporation, (contractor) engineers of the seawater source well sites.