Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) –Desalination
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Initial Environmental Examination February 2020 Kiribati: South Tarawa Water Supply Project Prepared by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy for the Asian Development Bank and World Bank. This is an updated version of the draft originally posted in August 2019 available on https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/kir-49453-002-iee. This initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section of this website. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) –Desalination Facilities (Betio and McKenzie) VOL 1 - MAIN TEXT February 2020 Kiribati South Tarawa Water Supply Project Project Design Advance -1, Grant No. 6012-KIR South Tarawa Water Supply Project – PDA-1 ESIA for Desalination Component Grant No. 6012-KIR TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................... I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................... X 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1 1.1 South Tarawa Water Supply Project .................................................... 1 Outputs and Outcomes ..................................................................................... 1 Location of South Tarawa .................................................................................. 1 Background – Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure .................................. 3 Objective of The Proposed Activity (STWSP) ........................................................ 3 Analysis of the Need for the Proposed Activity ...................................................... 4 Profile and Contact Details for the Project Proponent ............................................. 5 This Report ..................................................................................................... 6 2 POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK ................................................ 7 2.1 National Laws and Regulations ............................................................ 7 Kiribati Constitution and Environment Act ............................................................ 7 Other Relevant Legislation ................................................................................ 7 Administrative Framework for Safeguards Implementation ..................................... 7 2.2 Multilateral Environmental Agreements .............................................. 8 2.3 Health, Safety, Hazard and Risk Management Standards .................... 9 Kiribati Occupational Safety and Health Act ......................................................... 9 IFC Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines ................................................. 9 Water Quality Standards .................................................................................. 10 2.4 Environmental Policies of Financing Institutions Involved in the Project ...................................................................................................... 10 ADB Safeguards ............................................................................................. 10 WB Safeguards ............................................................................................... 11 Social Safeguards and Social and Gender Assessment .......................................... 12 Public Consultation .......................................................................................... 12 Disclosure ...................................................................................................... 12 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY .............................. 13 3.1 Introduction – Details and Schedule of Desalination Component ...... 13 3.2 Location of the Desalination Plants .................................................. 15 3.3 Background about the Desalination Plant Sites ................................ 18 Selection of Betio site ...................................................................................... 18 Selection of McKenzie site ................................................................................ 18 Finnish Consulting Group Asia Pte Ltd (FCG) in association with Fraser Thomas i South Tarawa Water Supply Project – PDA-1 ESIA for Desalination Component Grant No. 6012-KIR Brine disposal ................................................................................................ 19 3.4 Description of All Activities Involved ................................................ 20 Technical process of desalination plant ............................................................... 20 Effluent disposal ............................................................................................. 22 Effluent disposal in Temakin, Betio ...................................................................... 23 Environmental considerations of mixing two types of effluents ................................ 28 Effluent disposal in McKenzie .............................................................................. 28 Climate Change and Water Public Education Center ............................................. 28 3.5 Relevant Surveys and Studies during STWSP PDA ............................ 29 Topographic and Cadastral Survey .................................................................... 29 UXO Survey ................................................................................................... 29 Hydrogeological Survey (including drilling and water quality test) .......................... 29 Dispersion Modelling for Outfall Emissions .......................................................... 29 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ....................... 31 4.1 Current Climate and Climate Change Predictions ............................... 31 4.2 Topography, Geology and Soils ......................................................... 34 4.3 Water Resources and Water Quality ................................................. 36 Water quality in shallow wells ............................................................................. 36 Water quality in test boreholes ........................................................................... 36 4.4 Marine Characteristics ...................................................................... 39 Coastal Erosion, Inundation and Storm Surges .................................................... 39 Bathymetry .................................................................................................... 39 Ocean Currents .............................................................................................. 40 Marine Water Pollution ..................................................................................... 40 4.5 Flora and Fauna ................................................................................. 41 Coastal Flora and Fauna................................................................................... 41 Marine Flora and Fauna ................................................................................... 42 Protected and Conservation Areas and Species .................................................... 46 Terrestrial Flora and Fauna............................................................................... 46 4.6 Land Tenure, Zoning and Use ........................................................... 46 Land Tenure, Zoning and Use ........................................................................... 46 Property Rights Relating to the Desalination Plants Sites ...................................... 47 4.7 Human Communities ........................................................................ 47 Population ..................................................................................................... 47 Social/Cultural Resources and Heritage .............................................................. 48 Health ........................................................................................................... 49 Education ...................................................................................................... 51 Poverty and Marginalized Groups ...................................................................... 52 Infrastructure, Public Services and Utilities ......................................................... 52 Transport ........................................................................................................ 52 Water supply ................................................................................................... 52 Finnish Consulting Group Asia Pte Ltd (FCG) in association with Fraser Thomas ii South Tarawa Water Supply Project – PDA-1 ESIA for Desalination Component Grant No. 6012-KIR Electricity supply .............................................................................................. 53 4.8 Local and National Economy ............................................................. 53 Local and National Economy ............................................................................. 53