Member Country Report of Papua New Guinea - CCOP

4. GROUNDWATER PROGRAMME4.1. SummaryThe Project on “Groundwater Assessment & Control in the CCOP Region”commenced in 2005 and ended 2008. The aim of this project was to evaluate groundwaterresources and environment through monitoring. The main project consisted of 3 componentswhich were carried out separately. The 3 project components are; 1) GroundwaterEnvironment and Management in the Urban Coastal Area, (2) Groundwater and LandSubsidence Monitoring and (3) Groundwater Evaluation Using Monitoring System.PNG participated in the 1 st component but later the subject was changed to Laws &Regulations on water resources, environment and management.4.2. Annual Review of Individual Technical ActivitiesPNG was not invited in the 2008 final project meeting to review the project inToyama, Japan, however; the project successfully compared the history of laws related towater resources and environment from each member country in the sub- group. Its mainobjective was to compare and use experience gained in other member countries to assist eachcountry to enact laws concerning water resources and environment so to avoid destruction.PNG’s example: Contamination of the Angabanga River system from tailings dumpedby Tolukuma Gold Mine could have been avoided if laws governing water resources andenvironment were overhauled and tightened.4.3. Proposed Future ActivitiesUnder Phase I of the project, PNG requested technical co-operation for the study ofsaline water intrusion problem with Lae city groundwater supply. This was not pursuedfurther as the subtopic was changed to laws and regulations.Phase II of the same project will commence soon after the first meeting is held (1 st to2 nd October, 2009, Bangkok, Thailand) where the contents and topics for the projects will beselected and grouped.4.4. Assistance Required from CCOP in Support of Future ActivitiesTechnical assistance requested from CCOP :1. Study on saline water intrusion of the Lae city groundwater basin.2. Baseline study on surface and groundwater quality in all watershed areas that arelikely to be affected by the newly established mines in PNG.3. Technical assistance required in terms of experts assisting smaller member CCOPcountries and training (in-house and practical work attachments) by leadingcountries (Japan, Korea and China).4.5. Assistance Offered to CCOP/Other Member Countries in Support of FutureActivitiesNo Report.4.6. Other CommentsPNG’s specific problem areas:1. Training of hydrogeologist in pumping test analysis and interpretation usingmodern advanced techniques.2. Groundwater resource or aquifer modeling.3. Groundwater quality baseline survey methods and practices.6 CCOP Member Country Report: PAPUA NEW GUINEA