Borneo Ecotourism Solutions & Technologies Society (BEST), ConocoPhilps and independent oil and gas exploration and production company and Sky community (SIB Skyline) are initiating a joint-community project in Bengkoka, in the Pitas District on the northern part of Borneo. The newly launched rainwater collection system project provides an alternatives source of drinking and cooking water to the villages along the Bengkoka River. At present , the villagers use local springs of water which involve spending a great deal of hours each day collecting water from the Bengkoka River during dry season. Ironically, with the increasing growth of palm oil plantations further upstream, the water is now deemed unsuitable for consumption due to pollution from pesticides and fertilizers used in plantations as well as soil erosion. Read more…