MALAITA Provincial Headquarter, Auki, is having problems with its water supply, as the pump station and water reservoir are currently in a bad state.

But the good news is that SIWA is currently actively looking into the matter.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Minister of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification Hon David Dei Pacha said SIWA is considering options to seek funding from donors to address the issue in the future.

He said there are numbers of issues that contribute to the poor water supply in Auki, and one of them is the problem with the water pumps.

Hon Pacha said the ongoing problem with water pumps leads to some of the residence located in higher parts of Auki facing water shortage.

He said the government with the support of SIWA has purchased new water pumps to counter the issue but the pumps are yet to be installed due to the condition of the existing gallery pump station.

Hon Pacha also told parliament that revenue collection in Auki is running low due to reluctance of people paying their water bills.

This he says is another major factor to the woes facing the water situation in Auki.

He said the government in partnership with SIWA is proposing to introduce the prepaid cash water-meter which is currently on a trial basis in Honiara.

If the trial in Honiara is proven successful, the meters will be introduced in Auki.

Hon Pacha also said that the government has intervened and secured legal rights over three boreholes which was funded by Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that were installed behind the Auki Water Pump Gallery.

He said the legal step was to stop illegal settlers occupying the area.

Hon Pacha said SIWA is currently developing a 30-year programme to improve water supply in urban centres.