Mercy Works: 14 Water Tanks in 28 Days!
June 30, 2025
In May, Mercy Works – in partnership with the Diocese of Kundiawa in Simbu Province, Papua New Guinea – undertook an ambitious project to install water tanks into 14 schools in just 28 days. Now hundreds of students, teachers and staff have much improved access to clean water for drinking, handwashing, cooking and cleaning.
Water and sanitation-related diseases are some of the leading causes of death for children under five years in PNG. Sadly, preventable illnesses resulting from inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene practices claim the lives of children daily.
Prior to the installation of the new water tanks, students were required to carry their own water to school. They were often sourcing water from unreliable and unclean water sources such as rivers. Some schools were relying on old water tanks supplying poor quality water due to decay, algae growth and sediment buildup.
Mercy Works’ newly installed water tanks are expected to decrease the prevalence of waterborne diseases in these 14 school communities. Handwashing stations will be able to be used by teachers to teach children good handwashing and sanitation practices.
For most schools, the water tank installation is the first significant building and maintenance update to their school in over 50 years. Happy, healthy children corelates with an increase in school attendance and improves a student’s ability to focus on their studies.
“Access to reliable, safe water is a basic human right and we are passionate about the tangible health benefits of safe water for everyone. Mercy Works partnered with the Diocese of Kundiawa to identify fourteen local schools that would greatly benefit from a rainwater harvesting and storage system,” said Andrew Lowry, Overseas Project Coordinator, Mercy Works.
With a group of local tradesmen, the installations began in early May and by mid-June all fourteen schools were equipped with operating water tanks.
Each water tank system includes guttering to collect the rainwater from the roof, a first flush diverter to collect debris from an initial downpour and a disability-accessible tap point for water collection.
The team of six skilled tradesmen delivered the necessary hardware and installed the tanks in some very challenging locations. This included having to physically carry supplies across rivers and through terrain impassable to vehicles. Terrain so challenging that the local communities helped to carry the materials to ensure timely installation of the tanks.
“We are so encouraged by the success of this initial water tank installation project that we intend to install more water tanks in Simbu over the next 12 months. We couldn’t have achieved this work without the support of our incredible Mercy Works donors,” said Andrew.
Mercy Works has been active in PNG for more than 19 years and is currently conducting projects in two comparatively remote locations in Western Province and in the highlands of Simbu Province. In Simbu, under the leadership of Sister Maryanne Kolki, Mercy Works has conducted livelihood and training projects to improve the financial situation of local people. This has included the establishment of the Leave No One Behind micro financing program through the creation of small village savings and loans collectives.
Please visit www.mercyworks.org.au to learn more.
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