The Public Works Department's water and sewerage department staff have now been trained to use the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Geographic Information System (GIS) to better manage their assets.

According to European Union GIS Project Officer, Elizabeth Lomani the GPS and GIS will assist PWD in detecting leaks and faulty pipelines which has in the past led to major water cuts and sewerage problems around the country.

Lomani adds that also through the system, which the PWD has yet to accept, adopt and implement, one can see which person on which address is tampering with the water meter and lost income can be recovered.

A presentation of the whole system and how it works was made to the European Commission and the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Public Utilities and Infrastructure, yesterday afternoon at the SOPAC Secretariat.

The GIS/GPS project was funded by the European Union's EDF Project, Reducing Vulnerabilities for Pacific ACP countries.

14 Pacific Island Countries are funded under this project.