BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Water rationing announced earlier this month by Solomon Water has not yet come into effect despite ongoing supply disruptions affecting parts of Honiara, a reliable source within Solomon Water has confirmed.
Solomon Water announced it was preparing for the possibility of introducing water rationing as the country entered the current El Niño period on July 3.
In the public statement, Acting Chief Executive Officer Ray Anderson said the utility was already experiencing water supply disruptions caused by factors unrelated to El Niño but was closely monitoring water levels.
“We are currently experiencing some water supply disruption due to factors unrelated to El Niño. However, we are closely monitoring water storage levels and weather conditions across our service areas.
“Should water levels decline, we may need to introduce temporary water rationing measures to manage available supplies responsibly and maintain essential water services for all customers,” Mr Anderson said.
However, a source within Solomon Water told Island Sun that no water rationing schedule has been implemented yet, despite customers in several parts of Honiara continuing to experience irregular water cuts.
Solomon Water, in a statement said the recent disruptions have largely been linked to burst pipelines and maintenance issues.
Solomon Water advised customers supplied by the Tasahe, Titinge, Lengakiki, Skyline and East Kola reservoirs on Monday, July 13, that a major burst on the Ngossi Borefield pumping main had reduced reservoir levels, resulting in low water pressure and temporary outages while repairs were carried out.
Earlier, on Saturday, July 11, a pipe that burst at Vavaya Ridge disrupted water supply to Mbokonavera 1, Vavaya Ridge and nearby communities.
Another pipe burst at Ngossi on Monday, July 6, affected water supply to customers served by the Titinge, Lengakiki, Skyline and East Kola tanks.
The repeated disruptions have left many households without reliable water in recent weeks, prompting concerns among residents that water rationing may already be underway.
Solomon Water has apologised for the inconvenience caused by the unplanned outages and says its maintenance teams will continue to repair damaged pipelines while monitoring water availability during the ongoing El Niño season.
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