Hela begins bore water drilling as El Niño response

The Hela provincial government today commenced its bore water drilling program at Tari Hospital, with Governor Philip Undialu witnessing the first drill bit being punched into the ground.

Undialu described the first drilling as a significant moment for Hela, saying the current El Niño and prolonged dry spell had highlighted the urgent need for sustainable water security across the province.

“Today is a historic day for Hela. We are responding to the immediate water crisis caused by El Niño, but we are also looking beyond this crisis and investing in sustainable water sources for our people,” he said.

The governor said drilling also carried cultural and historical significance because of a long-held Hela oral tradition about an underground river known as Kukupia.

“Our people have spoken for generations about Kukupia, a river believed in our traditional stories to flow beneath the soil."

Undialu announced that the Hela provincial government is preparing a larger program involving approximately 10 major deep bore water sites, with proposed drilling depths of between 200 and 500 metres.

These deeper wells will prioritise main centres and critical institutions such as hospitals, schools and other public facilities.

He said the program will also include more than 200 shallower bore-water sites, generally targeting depths of approximately 40–50 metres, to extend reliable water access to villages and council wards across the province.

“The deep drilling will target our major centres and institutions, while the shallower drilling will take water security directly to our villages and wards. Our objective is to make sure that every community has access to a reliable source of water,” governor Undialu said.

He said the current dry spell had exposed the vulnerability of communities that depend heavily on rivers, streams and other seasonal water sources.

“El Niño has taught us a very important lesson. We cannot wait for the next drought before we think about water. We must use this crisis to build permanent solutions,” he said.

“This is not only about El Niño relief. It is about WASH, public health, human dignity and building a more resilient Hela for our children and grandchildren.”

Undialu said his administration would continue working with relevant national agencies, development partners and technical experts to ensure the bore-water program was properly planned, drilled and developed.

“Today we drill for water. Tomorrow we build water security. The first drill at Tari Hospital is only the beginning,” he said.