Port Vila’s first septic waste treatment plant under construction

Works on the main output areas of the Port Vila Urban Development Project (PVUDP) are now well underway. The objective of the project is for the Government of Vanuatu to have improved road and drainage networks, improved hygiene and sanitation and reduced water-based hazards in the greater Port Vila area.

One output under the project is for Government to have improved sanitation services around Port Vila. In terms of physical works, the project will construct a septic treatment plant at Bouffa landfill close to Etas.

“Basically, it will pick up all septic waste out of septic tanks and goes and discharges there. Previously, it was an unsightly condition that has not been dealt with for a long time,” Project Team Leader/Project Management Specialist Lawrence Carlson says.

The contract for the project was awarded to Downer with the work expected to be completed by September 2016, Carlson says.

The other output of the PVUDP is for several central areas of Port Vila communities to have improved hygiene facilities.

The works will involve refurbishing and improving hygiene and sanitation facilities within three Seaside communities as well as few facilities at Blacksands and Mele.

“Also under this output, importantly, before any of these communities can have these facilities, they must demonstrate the willingness to look after operation and maintenance of these facilities,” Carlson adds.

“So, World Vision and Wan Smol Bag have been working with these communities to get them to know and understand and show their commitment to short and long term operation and maintenance of these facilities.”

Construction contract for the project was awarded to David’s Construction on May 11, 2016 with the works expected to be completed by the end of this year. Additionally, they will be constructing some public toilets at the Central Hospital, the main market in downtown Port Vila, and Fatumaru Bay.

Under the main output of this project, the Government wants to improve road and drainage networks in Port Vila, where work has started on the George Kalsakau Drive designed by Beccas.

“The contract for the project was awarded to CCECC on September 4 last year but the work did not start until March 4 due to a few problems and we now expect the work to be completed by the end of July,” says Carlson.

Also under this particular output is the first phase of the road/drainage component. This includes 13km of improved roads and 7km of drainage. The contract was awarded to RMS, a company out of Townsville, who have signed the contract on January 27 and the work commenced on April 13 and is expected to be completed by December 29 next year.

The Port Vila Urban Development Project is funded by Asian Development Bank, but mainly from the Australian Government and also by the Government of Vanuatu. The project’s worth about $US32 million (Vt3.52 billion). It started in 2014 and is due to be completed at the end of next year.

“At this stage we are expected to meet that deadline,” Team Leader Carlson anticipates.