Access to clean water and sanitation is a major setback in PNG communities.
In Central Province, given the type of vegetation and soil structure, clean drinking water is almost scarce in many villages.
Veisia Village, situated along Hiritano Highway in Kairuku district, is no exception; it is a village that suffers greatly from lack of water sources. Access to clean drinking water is almost scarce in this village.
During the dry season, women have to walk some two kilometres to fetch water and return.
This has been their daily chore for over 25 years now.
In 1980s, the villagers migrated from Vanuamai Village and settled along the Hiritano Highway in two different hamlet, Veisia and Olovalu.
The challenges faced in accessing clean drinking and cooking water is similar in all three villages.
Women have become the main victims of this, carrying water long distances.
Yesterday, local MP Peter Isoaimo handed Tuffa Tanks over to these three communities. The tanks were purchased with DSIP funds.
The district is embarking on supplying more villages with proper tanks for rain catchment.
A service delivery report last year indicated that 61 per cent of the PNG population do not have access to safe drinking water.
However, the government is embarking on rural water supply projects to achieve the water supply and sanitation targets by 2030.
The challenge is now on ward councillors to have water prioritised in ward development plans to engage government assistance.
