Port Moresby at 'unnecessary risk' as landholders block urgent water works

Urgent repairs to a critical water pipeline in Papua New Guinea's capital, Port Moresby, have been halted by a blockade set up by traditional landowners. The pipeline, which supplies more than half of the city's water, has a significant leak, ejecting 10 million liters daily and is described in engineering reports as being in "active failure."

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This blockade is creating great uncertainty and throws all preparations for a shutdown into limbo.

If the raw water pipeline bursts, Port Moresby, home to 1 million residents, would face an immediate and severe health and security crisis due to the loss of over half its water supply. Preparations for essential repairs, which involved months of planning and international partners including Australia and the United Nations, were scheduled for the weekend but are now in limbo.

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We are all in this together and people around the capital city are preparing and supporting Water PNG to get in and fix this problem.

The damaged section of the pipeline is located on customary land owned by the Behori Clan. The clan's representative, Foxie Kaeaka, stated that the landowners are demanding compensation for access to the site. They are also seeking reparations for ancestral remains discovered during Water PNG's work at a different site in 2024.

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They have to fairly and adequately compensate the Behori clan for that.

Water PNG confirmed that $1,600 was paid to the clan for burial rituals at the time, along with an additional $5,000 for archaeological excavation. However, the landowners are reportedly demanding a further $1.6 million, though Mr. Kaeaka indicated they are open to negotiation. He stressed that the clan has a long-standing cooperative relationship with Water PNG and has not refused the repairs, but wishes for outstanding issues to be addressed first.

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We are not saying 'no' to the repair. All along we have been cooperating with Water PNG. All we are saying, all we are demonstrating, is that we have an issue and you haven't attended to us.