Overcoming Water Scarcity in the South Pacific Honiara, Solomon Islands

overcoming Water scarcity in the south pacific

95%

OF REsIdENTs IN ThE GREATER hONIARA AREA sERVEd BY PIPEd WATER sUPPlY BY 2047

Inhabitants 84,520

GdP per capita $2,197

Geographic area 22 km²

ThE ChAllENGE

Urban population growth in the Greater Honiara Area, including five urban towns of Auki, Gizo, Noro, Munda, and Tulagi, has resulted in decreasing rates of access to basic urban services such as water supply, sanitation, solid waste collection, and drainage.

CO-BENEFITs solomon Islands is preparing for a future characterized by intense rainfall events and extreme droughts, both of which will strain the country’s insufficient and aging water and sanitation systems.

The scarcity of freshwater sources and lack of sanitation infrastructure are two significant problems for residents of Solomon Islands, the vulnerability of whom will be further exacerbated by climate change impacts, with both increased rainfall variation and extreme droughts expected by 2050.

The urban water and sanitation sector project will feature upgraded water treatment facilities, two new reservoirs, rehabilitation of 10 km of water supply pipes with added leak detection, and new metered connections. These measures will reduce water loss by more than 30%, while also increasing supply capacity and security.

Improvements to sanitation services will also be incorporated, including new pump stations, a reed bed wastewater treatment plant, repairs to aging pipes, and the expansion of the existing network to include 3,000 new households. As a whole, this initiative will contribute to water conservation efforts aimed at protecting communities against an increasingly uncertain future.

The $92 million project is funded in part by a concessional loan and grant from ADB, with cofinancing from the European Union and World Bank.

health

Health outcomes for the population, especially those living in informal communities, will be improved through better access to water and sanitation services.

social

The program will include gender design features that benefit women and girls, such as menstrual hygiene awareness and quotas in the project workforce and water user groups.

Environmental

The introduction of a reed bed wastewater treatment plant and increased efficiency of the water supply system will result in GHG reductions.

improved urban services. The project aims to provide a climate-resilient water supply and improved sanitation in the Greater Honiara Area, as well as across five outlying towns (photo by Solomon Water).