JCC Meeting on July 25, 2023
PPUC is pleased to inform the public that the JICA Project for Strengthening Capacity in Non- Revenue Water (NRW) Reduction in Palau is going smoothly and is approximately 75% complete. On Tuesday July 25, 2023, the Project’s Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) held its third meeting to update all stakeholders on the progress made since formally commencing back in February 2022.
The Project has 3 outputs—1) Capacity of pipe renewal is improved through the preparation
of a basic pipeline renewal plan for Koror-Airai water distribution system, 2) Capacity of leak detection and replacement/switch-over of pipes is improved and 3) Capacity of commercial loss reduction, water use monitoring, public awareness on water conservation is improved.
With respect to output 1, a Pilot Project was conducted in Ngerbodel which included replacement of approximately 459 feet waterline and 19 water meters. An assessment was done to confirm changes of water inflow and outflow before and after the replacement. For output 2, PPUC staff received training in data collection and management, and how to use available data to make informed decisions in regards to water use monitoring, billing and leak detection. Lastly for output 3, PPUC along with JICA expert team analyzed and confirmed that certain large customers in the Koror-Airai distribution area remain unmetered and are currently being charged a flat rate. PPUC immediately installed meters for these customers. In addition, a household survey was conducted in the Pilot area in Ngerbodel to understand current water use, consumer habits and if water conservation is practiced in the homes. To help improve awareness on water conservation and leaks, a leaflet on internal leakage control was developed and distributed.
We appreciate Japan’s relentless support to Palau and PPUC throughout the years. We look forward to continue our collaboration as we work to complete the project in the next 6 months. Non-revenue water reduction remains a priority for PPUC and we thank the Japan Government through JICA for assisting in the development of essential plans and manuals to help PPUC with this endeavor.