Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has called for a major shift in how Port Moresby’s water infrastructure is planned and expanded, urging Water PNG Ltd and relevant agencies to adopt a long-term, staged and strategic approach to meet the city’s growing demand.
Speaking after a presentation by Water PNG Ltd Chief Executive Officer James Young in Port Moresby today, the Prime Minister said the capital could no longer rely solely on ageing infrastructure and a single water supply system while the city continued to expand rapidly into new suburbs and industrial zones.
“We cannot keep placing pressure on the same old water infrastructure and expect it to cope indefinitely,” Prime Minister Marape said. “As Port Moresby expands, we must plan for new water sources, new infrastructure and new urban corridors, rather than overloading what we already have.”
The Prime Minister highlighted the need to align water planning with broader urban expansion, particularly towards new growth areas such as Gerehu Stages 6 and 7, as well as emerging industrial and logistics zones outside the traditional city boundary. He said future development should be supported by separate, purpose- built water systems rather than drawing from the same ageing network serving the existing city.
“We should be developing new water supplies to support new urban and industrial growth, while at the same time upgrading and maintaining the existing system,” he said. “This staged approach reduces the risk of a system-wide failure and allows us to manage limited funding more effectively.”
Prime Minister Marape expressed concern over assessments indicating a high probability of major system stress or failure if urgent interventions were not undertaken, noting that ageing assets and rising demand posed a real risk to water security in the capital.
“We cannot afford to wake up one day and find that the entire city’s water system has failed because we did not act in time,” he said. “This is about making responsible decisions now so we do not pass these problems on to the next generation.”
He encouraged Water PNG Ltd to explore a mix of solutions, including public-private partnerships, hybrid supply models and private sector participation in infrastructure development, while ensuring Government retains oversight of distribution, pricing and long-term planning.
“If the private sector can supply water at source and help finance infrastructure, and the State focuses on distribution and regulation, we should be open to those models,” the Prime Minister said. “What matters is reliability, affordability and sustainability.”
Prime Minister Marape also stressed the importance of coordination across government, directing central agencies to work closely with Water PNG Ltd, planning authorities and land agencies to manage development pressures in the existing city while enabling new growth areas to be properly serviced.
“We must have a clear, coordinated work plan — for new systems and for existing ones — and ensure there is consistent financial support through Treasury so Water PNG can plan and invest with confidence,” he said.
He welcomed the technical options outlined during the presentation, including expanded storage capacity and gravity-fed systems, and requested a detailed, costed implementation plan for further consideration.
“This was a productive discussion,” Prime Minister Marape said. “Let us get the technical advice right, look carefully at the numbers, and then move decisively. Water security is fundamental to the future growth and liveability of our capital city.”