By Rhealyn C. Pojas
Reporter
With the aim to help improve the quality of drinking water in Palau, the Japan Embassy through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), had donated equipment and vehicle to the Environmental Quality Protection Board (EQPB) which will be used in conducting water tests.
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Through the GGP grant worth $62,648, the EQPB was able to receive new incubator and autoclave that will help the office personnel increase the water testing they can run.
A vehicle was also given to EQPB through the same grant which will be utilized by the office in transporting to sites in Babeldaob where the EQPB personnel conduct operations to improve proper maintenance for rain water catchment systems.
Schools and community health centers in Babeldaob rely on rain water catchments, according to EQPB.
Most equipment in the EQPB lab are said to be over 15 years old already. With the grant, key equipment were purchased to replace the old ones.
“It is gratifying that the fruits of the grant from the Embassy of Japan and the people of Japan comes at a time when the Republic is experiencing water issues,” EQPB Executive Officer Roxanne Blesam said in her speech during the turn over ceremony at the EQPB last March 23.
EQPB applied for the GGP grant in April of 2017 and just a few months later, in November last year, the signing ceremony was held.
In a previous report, EQPB had conducted various water quality tests during the drought in 2016 due to safety concerns about water qualities in rainwater tanks but it was not fully implemented because one of the autoclaves was out of order and the incubators and pickup truck could not also be fully utilized due to deterioration. [/restrict]