The $17 million dollar Koror-Airai Water Supply System Improvement Project was certified completed yesterday by PPUC CEO Kione Isechal, a year and eight months after it broke ground.
The signing certified that the contractor had completed all installation and construction works for the project and had handed over to PPUC all facilities and equipment related to the project.
Also handed over were as-built drawings, photos of all new piping, Malakal Tank works, commissioning report of new transmission & distribution lines and training report for PPUC personnel.
“All in all, the project was very successful,” stated CEO Isechal noting some of earlier challenges such as traffic requiring changing work schedules and lights in order to reduce traffic congestion during the day.
“With the low water levels we are now experiencing, we have been able to provide water while minimizing impact due to this improvement in the water system,” added Isechal.
The project included installation of approximately five miles of new water transmission lines, installation of approximately eight miles of new distribution lines within Koror to replace aging asbestos main lines.
It also included construction of new 250,000 gallon Malakal Water Distribution Tank for Malakal only and re-establish water distribution zones. All water coming from Airai are now received by five distribution tanks. No more direct water distribution from Water Treatment Plant.
The project also had a major change order which included resurfacing 4.8km of road with asphalt from Ngermid intersection to Water Treatment Plant in Airai.
The project was a grant funded by Japan government and is one of the biggest projects that Japan has provided to Palau, according to President Remengesau during the ground breaking of the project in August of 2016.
The project was officially completed on April 25, 2018 and the official ribbon cutting ceremony is slated for May 10th. (L.N. Reklai/Editor)