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 | Cook Islands (CK) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: 2040mm per annum Water Supply System Reticulated Water Supply System- majority Southern Group Rainwater- majority Northern Group Sources of Fresh Water: springs and streams within catchments valleys, rainwater, coral atolls and well. Status of Water Resources The Cook Islands sources its water from two main sources. In the Southern Group of islands which includes the main island of Rarotonga, surface water is sourced from springs and streams within catchments valleys, while in the Northern Group of islands, water is sourced from rainwater and groundwater as the islands are coral atolls. Freshwater lens are present, however, the past practice of manually extracting water from wells have been abandoned. In terms of consumption, per capita figures of about 260 litres per capita per day are high for a developing country, and water losses throughout the system are thought to be between 50-70%. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues Generally, in comparison to similar SIDS within the Pacific, environmental impacts are few, but the issue of sound water resources management is one of the main issues facing the Cook Islands. In terms of current water supply system, old steel and galvanised pipes have problems with corrosion and leakage. During the wet season the water supply is often discoloured and turbid and contains silt, sediment and debris. Thus, the water system at present is vulnerable to any form of disaster, such as contamination from agriculture chemicals, sanitation contamination and saltwater intrusion. Septic tank systems are widely used throughout Rarotonga, comprising of a septic tank and a soak away. The septic sludge is currently dumped on vacant land, or on fields at the request of planters. There is only one reticulated sewerage system on Rarotonga, it collects sewage from the residents and is fed into septic tanks for treatment. The septic tanks were replaced in 1994 with an Enviroflow proprietary sewage treatment plant. But the plant was neither maintained nor operated correctly, and fell into disuse. The raw sewage currently bypasses the plant and flows into the sea. The common theme in reviewing the water sector in the Cook Islands is that water management and water sector policy generally is not advanced. There is no single national water supply legislation in place except for scattered provisions that address the supply of water to the public such as the Rarotonga Waterworks Ordinance of 1960. In the absence of such a framework, water supply projects especially on the outer islands have been historically implemented without full assessment of their viability, sustainability and impact on the local community and environment. Finally, there is a lack of commercialisation within the water sector – water is provided free in Rarotonga – and there is generally a lack of capacity and expertise including human and technical resources in the water sector, both government and private sector.
| Federated States of Micronesia (FM) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: 4928mm per annum Water Supply System 60% of water resources- surface water 40% of water resources- groundwater in small, dispersed zones of sedimentary deposits, weathered volcanic and weathered schist. Status of Water Resources The main sources of fresh water are surface water, groundwater and rainwater. The primary source of fresh water in most of the Island States compromises of both underground, surface water and rainwater; the small islands for each state are fully dependable on rain water and shallow wells due to the low elevation of the islands. In the FSM’s raised coralline islands, the freshwater lens is tapped through shallow, hand-dug wells to supplement the rainwater catchments and storage tanks which are widely used and commonly the main source of drinking water in the outer islands. Bottled water was introduced in the early 1990’s to all the states in the FSM mainly for business development, and it still remains a popular form of potable water consumption in FSM. Rainwater harvesting is not a serious issue in the urban areas on the main islands, for all the four states in the FSM. Most rain water harvesting is concentrated in the outer islands and the rural areas. The practical approaches are done for each individual house hold. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues The major concerns and issues are impacts of climate change; deforestation of the watersheds; and sanitary controls on the watershed activities – both human and animal. The deforestation of the islands watersheds is one of the major issues in the FSM. In the early 1980's deforestation of the interior of Pohnpei and resultant pollution of the watershed resulted in the creation of a 5100 ha forest reserve. When survey teams tried to mark out the boundaries of the reserves, they were threatened by angry villagers. The government quickly backed down and land clearance, largely to plant kava (a valuable social drug crop), continued. Water quality and resultant health concerns have also been a major issue in FSM. In April 2000, an outbreak of cholera on Pohnpei, affected approximately 3,500 persons and caused 20 deaths, was the result of poor waste water control. In most parts of FSM, the underground water sources have potentially high iron content. In a study for FSM relating to a high quantity of water extraction from an aquifer but the disturbance of high iron content is an issue among the people and the EPA office that have the full responsibility on water quality assurances. The FSM IWRM council requires more incentive to integrate on water resource management and its components. Since, the small island countries are slowly developing, a concrete or solid legislation requires effective efforts to initiate the protection of the underground and surface water areas.  | Fiji (FJ) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: per annum Water Supply System Surface water- major towns on the larger islands Surface water and groundwater- smaller settlements not supplied by the major water utility Groundwater- large islands and small low-lying islands Status of Water Resources Improved sanitation facilities (% of population with access) 72%
Improved water source (% of population with access) 47%
Surface water withdrawals by sector, Fiji, 1987, 20% Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues Fiji has numerous small islands, some of which are low in elevation and also inhabited. Surface water availability is a problem in some islands, which rely exclusively on groundwater and may or may not attempt to use rainwater. Rainwater harvesting using roof systems is widespread in Fiji but the psychology of rural people may fail to take into account the possibility of extreme climate events and drought when there is relatively abundant water for most of the time (for instance providing small capacity storage instead of larger capacity). Some conflicts have occurred over surface water availability. In particular, there are conflicts between water for irrigation and water for other purposes in one or two cases. Groundwater occurs on both the large islands and small low-lying islands, but the groundwater issues and challenges in these different physical environments differ. Groundwater is found in superficial and medium-depth strata on the larger islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu and some large islands, in either fractured rock or sedimentary formations. Significant groundwater deposits, such as the Nadi Valley coastal aquifer, on the large islands are available and are under pressure for development. Groundwater resources on small islands play a very different role. There are cases in Fiji of islands with superficial groundwater lenses in sandbeds or coral formations, which lie on marine water and can be readily exhausted. The fragility of superficial groundwater lenses means that they need to be carefully managed. 
| Kiribati (KI) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: South of the equator -1,300 mm , Tarawa -2,000 mm , Northernmost islands- over 3,200 mm, Eastern Line Islands- less than 1,000 mm Water Supply System Bottled water- Produced in South Tarawa Shallow fresh groundwater- principal source of freshwater Rainwater harvesting-westernmost island of the nation, Banaba. Status of Water Resources Sources of freshwater for Kiribati's island communities are restricte to rainwater (supplementary sources of freshwater), shallow unconfined groundwater (generally within less than 2m of the surface), imported water or desalination (Falkland 2002). Seawater is used by many for bathing. The raised island of Banaba uniquely has fresh water pools in subterranean caves that could serve as an emergency source of water in times of severe drought (Overmars and Butcher 2001). In addition, during the British Phosphate Commission period water was imported in phosphate boats and stored in large 4,500 m3 storage tanks on the island. Water in these tanks is currently unused because of the presence of rust suspension in the water. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues Numerous reports and policy decisions have clearly enunciated the major issues and concerns in water and sanitation in Kiribati. Some of the principal concerns are listed below. - Provision of adequate water for human health and community development
- Provision of equitable access to safe water
- Protection of water sources
- Provision of appropriate sanitation
- Impact of droughts on water resources
- Impact of sea level rise on water resources
- Provision of sustainable water supply and sanitation systems
- Ensuring groundwater supply systems do not compromise rights or livelihoods
- Improvement in water governance, capacity building and maintenance of skills
- Improvement in knowledge and monitoring
- Land and water ownership in water source areas and common perceptions
 | Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: southern atolls- 4,000 mm northern atolls -2,000 mm Water Supply System Urban centres- rainwater, groundwater, desalination and importation. Rural atolls and islands- rainwater and groundwater(primary water resources) Status of Water Resources For the RMI as a whole, the supply of natural freshwater is severely limited. The primary source of freshwater is rain which (due to the low elevation of the atolls and islands) soaks directly into the soil and disperses into saltwater which permeates atoll subsoils. In some favourable locations some of the freshwater may accumulate in a Ghyben-Herzberg lens which floats on the saltwater below and can be accessed with wells (SOPAC 1996). There is a rainfall gradient, with heavier rainfall in the southern atolls and islands (typically in excess of 100 inches per annum) and less rainfall in the northern atolls and islands (typically less than 100 inches per annum). Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues The major issues and concerns related to overall water management in the RMI are as follows: - Insufficient quantity- Various studies have identified that Majuro’s current 36.5 million gallon reservoir capacity as insufficient and should be doubled in order to help meet growing demand. Moreover, in the Majuro water reticulated supply system there is significant leakage and theft which may be contributing to up to 50 percent wastage of water.
- Challenged public utilities- The two main water utilities, MWSC on Majuro and Kajur on Ebeye, continue to face great challenges in delivering quality water and services on a consistent and reliable basis. On Ebeye an added complication stems from the fact that power problems (power is also run by Kajur) directly create water supply problems. On both Majuro and Ebeye, capacity development and training remain critical for the improvement of financial and operational management.
- Contamination- Contamination and pollution are real and present threats to water resources everywhere, including in the water systems, in the groundwater (especially in urban areas), in household catchments, and in coastal areas. For Outer Island households, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has dramatically increased its water quality testing in recent years and has revealed that a high percentage of home water catchments are contaminated, this also is the case in the urban centres. This, in turn, supports the data that show a high and increasing prevalence of water-borne diseases).
- Weak conservation and demand management- Public attitude and awareness on water conservation, reuse, and related issues is poor. Campaigns for water conservation are few and far between, even during the dry season. Moreover, there is virtually no promotion of water efficient appliances. The EPA’s community water monitoring programme has proven to be an effective face-to-face way of educating various communities and this presents an opportunity for further improvement.
- Non-integrated management- There is fragmentation of authority and responsibility over water issues, with no single organisation or entity serving to pull together information and harmonise efforts. There exists no national level water committee (or similar entity) and community level coordination is just starting. The RMI has no information exchange system on water resources.
| Nauru (NR) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: 2,090 mm per annum Water Supply System Surface freshwater- Buada Lagoon is a slightly brackish, freshwater lake. Status of Water Resources Sources of freshwater for Nauru’s island communities are restricted to: - Rainwater;
- Imported water;
- Shallow unconfined groundwater (generally within less than 2 m of the surface)
- Desalination (one large evaporative desalination plant and four small RO desalination plants).
Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues The major issues and concerns are as follows: - There is not a secure supply of drinking water available to maintain health and wellbeing;
- High energy input is required for the desalination plants
- There may already be over-extraction of groundwater around the Bottom side
- There is some contamination of the groundwater occurring now, even though it is the best source of future water supply
- The sustainable yield of the groundwater has not been determined (but a study is planned for the near future)
- There is a need to control the discharge of wastewater adjacent to wells used to extract non-potable water and to upgrade local sanitation practices to composting-type toilets or similar arrangements
- There is very little monitoring or information collection on water quantity and quality, and hence no strong base for future planning
- There has been very little investigation of the environmental implications of the changes in land use and water use on the island
- Droughts have a major effect on the supply of water – particularly for roof water catchments
- There is a need for improved water governance and local skills
- Land and water ownership are still to be resolved for groundwater extraction.
| Niue (NU) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: 2,180 mm per annum Water Supply System No surface runoff in the form of streams, rivers and lakes. Water for residential and commercial consumption can only be drawn from the underground water lens supplemented by the collection of rainwater at the village and household level. Status of Water Resources In 2003, approximately 85% of water pumped from the underground lens was used for domestic purposes, 10% for agricultural use and 5% for commercial and industrial usage. 2006 figures (provided by the Water Division, PWD) showed 80% for domestic use, 15% for agricultural use and 5% for commercial and industrial use; an increase for agricultural purposes is noted. Niueans in the past were encouraged to build water tanks as catchments to harvest rainwater to supplement the public system, to cater to demand during cyclones and in periods of power failure. All newly constructed houses are subject to Building Code standards, and water tanks are now a compulsory requirement of a house. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues Niue cannot continue to depend entirely on its underground water lens as the only source of fresh water; with the planned increase in economic development activities, rainwater harvesting as a supplementary source ought to be vigorously pursued. Rainwater harvesting at the village level and at household level, would provide a back up source. There should be reserve tanks, with the capacity not only to cater during disasters and power failures, but for daily use as well. The increase in land surface activities may compromise the quality of the water lens. A study carried out by SOPAC on coastal water quality in 2003, was initiated due to fish poisoning outbreaks and fish deaths. The study confirmed a high nitrate and phosphate concentration believed to be caused by inadequate wastewater treatment primarily from septic tanks draining into the groundwater regime. The survey highlights the vulnerability of Nite’s water resources to any land surface activities and the close link between land and catchments activities and coastal zone impacts. Regular quality checks by the Department of Health should be undertaken. The whole island depends on water pumped from the underground lens. Currently the domestic use of 80% of the water pumped from underground is the priority use followed by agriculture, and commercial and industry. With the expected increase in tourist accommodations, agriculture and fishing industries the level of different uses will progressively change. 
| Palau (PR) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: 3700 mm per annum Water Supply System Groundwater-The islands of Peleliu, Angaur and Kayangel Surface Water- this source has been the more viable and cost effective option for drinking water.Rainfall- The source of this significant amount of surface water is rainfall. Status of Water Resources Palau produces 300 billion gallons (1.1 billion cubic metres) of water per year from surface water run-off. The island of Babeldaob has 5 major watersheds with an additional 11 minor watersheds. The Ngerikiil River in Airai supplies 3 million gallons (11000 cubic metres) a day to the Koror/Airai Water Treatment Plant for use by three-fourths of the population of Palau. The rest of the islands of Palau rely on groundwater sources and rainfall. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues - Extent to which groundwater and surface water resources exploited- The Ngerimel Dam decreased water flow into the lower part of its watershed, but the flora and fauna of that area have acclimated to the decreased water levels over the past decades.
- Use of Alternative Sources- Almost every household has some sort of rainwater catchment system, ranging from simple plastic lined 55-gallon steel barrels to imported aluminium 400 gallon tanks to constructed cement tanks. Desalination has been raised in the past though never thoroughly explored. Store bought water bottles are a popular alternative drinking water source.
- The various and relative demands placed on watersheds/water resources- Watersheds are heavily relied upon as water sources. The Koror/Airai treatment plant estimates extraction of 4.5 million gallons per day from the Ngerimel Dam and Ngerikiil River, based on amount processed within the plant, not actual amount of intake. However with an expected migration to Babeldaob, increased water usages from the rural public water systems are expected
- Competing uses of water and priority uses- Competing uses on the water supply comes from the tourism industry, which diverts hundreds of thousands of gallons. Mangroves and coral reefs are dependent on certain level of freshwater. How water extraction is impacting the coastal environment and the extent to which impounding water has on decreasing fresh water flow to coral reefs is unknown at this time
- Sources of pollution of surface water, groundwater and coastal waters- The main source of pollution is sedimentation caused by poor erosion controls, loss of riparian buffers, and poor landuse practices. Pollution into the groundwater sources is from poorly maintained septic tanks, leachate from nearby landfills, etc and also from saltwater intrusion. On the platforms and atolls, there is a need to limit the amount of water extracted per day. Coastal waters are impacted daily from land-based pollution, gasoline and oil from outboard motors and ships. With more development expected on the larger islands, other sources of pollution will be inevitable, i.e. sewage, chemical pollution, oil spill, etc.
 | Papua New Guinea (PG) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: 3000 mm per year. Water Supply System Surface water- Fly River, Sepik River, Markham River, Purari River and Kikori River Groundwater- coastal communities and especially the island atolls. Rainwater- rural communities and some urban residents who do not have access to town supply Status of Water Resources The following are some water resources in PNG that can be harvested for economic and domestic use. i. Surface fresh water from streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, estuaries and swamps; ii. Subsurface freshwater from confined and unconfined aquifers; iii. Surface and subsurface brackish water showing varying degrees of salinity; and iv. Effluent water, which can be treated and recycled. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues The overriding challenge in most situations is to deliver water at the right quantity and quality for a given use. In rural PNG, only 20% of the population have access to an improved water supply which includes public standpipes, boreholes, protected wells or springs. For the rest of the population, water is directly taken from the source. In the urban areas which PNG Waterboard services, 91% have access to treated and reticulated water but only 60% of these households get piped water directly into their houses. While the water resources available in a catchment is initially subject to natural climatic and geophysical conditions, various land uses and waste disposal linked to population growth is also affecting the capacity to supply in terms of quantity and quality to cater for ranges of water uses. Currently, there are few catchments that are directly accessible to the main urban towns and cities in PNG. The development of these sources to sustain the demand is difficult with settlers settling in critical areas like at headwaters causing concern for pollution to the original source etc. Landuses such as agriculture, cultivating crops that consume more water deprives other users to benefit from the same source. Catchments such as Laloki (proposed demonstration site), Wahgi and Bumbu are over stressed with poor quality yields and high demand from various users. Additionally, there no proper catchment management plans that would dictate the landuse type in the area and equally distribute water resources. The constant increase in population has pushed communities and settlements to move into catchments that could not support different agricultural landuses causing stress to environment and water resources. Clearing of riverbanks are causing increasing erosion and depositing them into waterways. The other main concern is to develop a policy to regulate activities within critical catchments and provide for equal distribution of the resources to all users.  | Samoa (WS) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: 3,000 mm per annum Water Supply System Conventional water resources including surface water and groundwater exist across almost the entire country, although are quite noticeably separate in their distribution. Status of Water Resources The surface water and groundwater resources of Samoa are fundamentally controlled by the geology. Drinking Water Supply. Surface water and groundwater are used for all types of water supply. Surface water provides approximately 65% of the water supply and groundwater 35%. Piped water supply access is estimated at between 90-95% of the population.
Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues - Extent to which groundwater and surface water resources are used and alternative sources- Surface water and groundwater are the only sources of water used for water supply provision, with the exception of rainwater harvesting practiced widely in the Falealupo Peninsula and in otherwise isolated and rural households. Piped water supply access is estimated at between 90-95% of the population.
- The various and relative demands placed on watersheds/water resources. There has been no national assessment to date on the stress put upon the individual catchments and aquifers. This work will be undertaken as part of an on-going EU funded water sector support programme (WaSSP). Limited historical surface water monitoring, and a lack of raw water abstraction metering, to date prevents accurate assessment of water withdrawal against low flow yields.
- Competing uses of water and priority uses. The competition for water resources appears in the Fuluasou and Vaisigano water catchments around Apia, where both public water supply and public energy supply are provided by the same river systems. Hydropower operations in Fuluasou river catchment is now non-operational due to insufficient water quality and complete infilling of the intake reservoir with sediment.
- Sources of pollution of surface water, groundwater and coastal waters. There is no known water quality monitoring for wastewater associated pollution. An on-going Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded Apia wastewater and drainage project is presently in the design phase and is about to commence baseline monitoring. There is however ample visual evidence of wastewater contamination of streams around the urban Apia area. Solid waste disposal is also a problem within the low-lying populated areas, with obvious uncontrolled tipping into valleys.
Sediment erosion is the most visible surface water pollutant within the catchments. Perhaps the most stark reminder of sedimentation in the watersheds is the complete infilling of the now abandoned Fuluasou Hydropower Dam reservoir. Salinisation is known to occur at some boreholes in Savaii, although this is generally thought to be saline up-coning (i.e. over-pumping of an individual borehole) rather than saline intrusion (over-abstraction from the aquifer as a whole). However a lack of systematic monitoring and groundwater investigation prevent further assessment. 
| Solomon Islands (SB) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: 1,500 to 5,000 mm per annum Water Supply System Surface water-main source of drinking water Wells- small atoll islands Groundwater- Honiara city and Guadalcanal Plains. Status of Water Resources Water resources availability ranges from sizeable rivers to small streams from high mountainous and dense rainforest islands to rainwater harvesting and thin fresh water lens of underground aquifers of the small low-lying atolls and islets. Rainfall and river flows are highly variable in certain areas; drinking water supplies may run short one month, yet a few months’ later roads and gardens may be threatened by floods. In the outlying atolls of the Solomon Islands, where rainfall is low and there are only limited supplies of groundwater. Even where water resources are abundant they may not be suitable for a particular use, such as human consumption. In the case of atolls where water is scarce, groundwater and rainwater is the option. Dug wells have been used to collect water but due to its relative poor quality (saline) rainwater is used for drinking and cooking. Tanks are used to store rainwater. Groundwater is used only for washing and swimming because of its relatively poor quality. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues - Extent of exploitation of water resources- With an estimated population of 400,000 in 1999, about 14% live in six urban areas including Honiara and the balance of about 86% of the population live in rural areas while the rest live in urban and peri-urban areas. Information to date revealed that about 50-70% of rural population has access to piped or improved water supply while coverage in urban areas is about 80-90%.
- Demands on watersheds/water resources- Drinking and household use in both rural villages and in urban centres is the major use of water resources in the country. Although the quantities required are relatively small the quality of the raw water must be high due to non-presence of expensive treatment for the water supply. There is limited agricultural water demand because most crops are rain fed or watered direct from groundwater sources. The agricultural developments of Guadalcanal plains have shown the potential for irrigation especially in the small holder rice farming activities.
- Furthermore, with the increase in the population (approximate annual growth rates placed between 2.8 and 3%) there is a need to increase the supply of water in urban and rural areas. In this case better water quality and quantity is needed for the country to meet the increasing population in the near future.
- Competing uses of water- Current Information suggests that about 50-70% of rural population have access to piped or improved water supply while coverage in urban areas is about 80-90%.
- Sources of pollution of surface water, groundwater, coastal waters
- Information exchange on water resources
| Kingdom of Tonga (TO) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: vary from north to south of Tonga Water Supply System Surface water- Eua, Niuafo'oua and Niuatoputapu and Tofua Groundwater- urban centres Status of Water Resources The source of freshwater for Tonga is either through rainwater harvesting, or extracted from a thin freshwater lens within the highly porous limestone substrate. The water resources of Tonga are primarily in the form of groundwater. Surface water resources are not present on most islands; exceptions are 'Eua where supply originates from springs in caves high above sea level, and on a number of the volcanic islands including Niuafo'oua and Niuatoputapu and Tofua, where there are several salty lakes. According to the 1996 Census, out of the total 16,194 households in Tonga, 84.6% (13,705 households) had access to piped water supply. A household may have access to piped water, and have its own water tank and/or well (Statistics Department 1999). The 1996 Census also recorded that 58.3% (9,444 households) had their own water tank; 2.4% (393 households) had their own well, and 1.1% (175 households) had other sources of water supply. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues - Exploitation and consumption. The greatest demand for water is on Tongatapu. According to the 1996 census, Tonga’s total population was 97,784. Tongatapu has the highest population density and totalled 66,979 which accounted for 69% of the total population. Vava’u recorded 15715 (16%), Ha’apai recorded 8138 (8%), ‘Eua recorded 4934 (5%), and the Niuas recorded 2018 (2%). As it is estimated that the population has grown by 46,000 people in the last decade it is possible that the population of Tongatapu has grown by up to 30,000 people. These figures can all be updated and verified when the 2006 census figures are released.
- Water consumption per household per month, in the Nuku’alofa area was estimated at 0.03 ML in 1998.
- Wastewater management and pollution control. There is no centralised reticulated sewerage system in Tonga. All wastewater is managed by on-site systems, with supervision by the Ministry of Health (MOH) when resources permit. In this respect wastewater management is in the hands of the community.
- Information exchanges on water resources. According to personnel involved in water management, there is no functioning information or data exchange systems on water resources. Data and information are exchanged to fulfil requirements for externally funded projects such as the current development of the Water Safety Plans. However on a daily basis this does not necessarily occur.
| Tuvalu (TV) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: higher for island groups further north, generally decreases when moving north from Niulakita to Nanumea Water Supply System Rainwater harvesting- primary source of water supply Groundwater- available on all islands Status of Water Resources Rainfall and rainwater harvesting is the primary source of water supply in Tuvalu. In the early 1980s most families took advantage of an aid project for provision of ferro-cement storage tanks attached to small areas of roofing sheets providing the catchment and shelter for an external kitchen area. The tanks had an approximate capacity of 3.6 m³ and were intended only to meet drinking water demands. However once supplied, usage increased and the available water quickly depleted. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues The majority of islands have wells. Some wells are just holes dug down to the groundwater lens and are not protected from contamination and pollution. However within the villages most wells are protected by coral stone walls, capped and provided with hand pumps (diaphragm type) with latrines often adjacent. Water quality is often poor. Well water is now seldom used for drinking and it is has been observed that during periods of low rainfall the quality can deteriorate, and becomes more saline. Groundwater is used for domestic needs in the outer islands as an emergency supply in times of drought. Over-extraction in 1999 and 2000 resulted in groundwater becoming brackish/salty, the water level dropped with serious consequences for the vegetation as witnessed in Vaitupu. On many of the islands groundwater is available under the villages, which is probably why the villages were originally settled in that location. However because of the extensive use of pit latrines and septic tanks the water is contaminated and its use can lead to disease. On Funafuti groundwater is only used for feeding pigs, washing pig pens and flushing toilets. During droughts its use extends to washing clothes, bathing and flushing toilets. 
| Vanuatu (VU) |
Water Statistics Avg Rainfall: <100 mm per month in July to >400mm per month in January Water Supply System Groundwater and surface water resources- larger islands Some smaller islands such Mataso and Buninga in the Shepherd’s Group, all of Torres Group, and small islands off Malekula and Santo have neither ground nor surface water. Status of Water Resources In Vanuatu, both ground and surface water are used for domestic purposes. In urban areas the main water source is shallow aquifers whereas in rural areas various sources are used such as bores, wells, springs, rivers and rainwater catchments. Urban water supplies are provided by UNELCO (a private company) in Port Vila and Public Works in Luganville, Isangel and Lakatoro. All rural supplies are donor-funded and designed and delivered by either the drilling section or rural water supply (within DGMWR). Rural water supplies are operated and managed by the local community. Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues - Demands and competing uses of water. Where water extraction is monitored because it is provided as a reticulated supply, then there is some knowledge and observation of the aquifer. In both Port Vila and Luganville aquifers are under increasing pressure from housing, agriculture and other developments. Outside of the demands of the reticulated supply, no formal assessment has been made of demand or impacts of competing use.
- Groundwater quality and quantity. Information on ground water in Vanuatu is sporadic and mostly focused on Port Vila and Luganville. Groundwater quality in both urban centres of Port Vila and Luganville is generally good with only calcium hardness to note. Neither water supply currently requires treatment other than chlorination. However, in both cases aquifer levels are thought to be decreasing while pumping demands are increasing.
- Surface water quality and quantity. Information on ground water in Vanuatu is sporadic and mostly focused on Port Vila and Luganville. Groundwater quality in both urban centres of Port Vila and Luganville is generally good with only calcium hardness to note. Neither water supply currently requires treatment other than chlorination. However, in both cases aquifer levels are thought to be decreasing while pumping demands are increasing.
- Major sources of pollution.
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