Media release
8 June 2010
For immediate release
ADF provides K4m sewage plant for Goldie River Army Barracks
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is funding the construction of a K4 million sewage plant at the Goldie River Army Barracks in Port Moresby.
Work on the sewage treatment project started on 7 May 2010 and is scheduled to finish at the end of September 2010. The new sewage plant will address the ongoing sewage problems the barracks has been experiencing because of lack of maintenance to its current infrastructure.
Head of Australian Defence Staff in Papua New Guinea, Colonel Mark Shephard said, “This is the biggest Defence Cooperation Project for some time. I am pleased to assist the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) address basic infrastructure needs at Goldie River.”
Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, Brigadier General Francis Agwi, thanked the ADF and the Australian Government for the assistance.
“The new project will solve the sewage problems in this barracks. It is an environmentally friendly system and the public can rest assured that the waste that finally comes out is bacteria free,” Brigadier General Agwi said.
Australian Army Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) Shane Stevenson is working alongside the contractors Hebou Constructions (PNG) Limited and PNGDF personnel on the project.
He said the new settlement ponds will work better than the old trickle filter system.
The settlement ponds comprise of 4 treatment ponds - two primary ponds, one secondary pond and one tertiary pond. Sewage from the barracks is transferred to a pumping station which grinds the waste and transfers it to the primary ponds where the solids fall to the bottom as sludge. Over about 45 days, sunlight, wind and time will break up the waste and kill all the bacteria.
WO2 Stevenson said the main difference between the two systems was maintenance time.
“Every 5-7 years each pond needs to be shut off and the sludge – which is bacteria free, needs to be cleaned out.
“The current system had to be maintained on a daily basis, however the new system will only need to be maintained every five to seven years,” he said.
Commanding Officer of the Gold River Army Barracks, Dennis Maniana, said the new system would cater for the up-building of the barracks. He thanked the ADF and Australian Government for their assistance.