Issues for Community-based Sustainable Resource Management and Conservation: Considerations for the Strategic Action Programme for the International Waters of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Technical Editors: Andrew Wright and Natasha Stacey Volume 2: A Synopsis of Information Relating to the Quality of Freshwater and Watershed Management Issues in the Pacific Islands Region by Tony Falkland Technical Report 2002/02 Participating Countries in the International Waters Programme Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. i Table of Contents Foreword..................................................................................................................................... iv Introduction ................................................................................................................................. v About the Author ....................................................................................................................... x List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................ xi Glossary of Terms .................................................................................................................... xii Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 2 2. Information sources ................................................................................................................... 2 3. Overview of freshwater resources and water supplies ........................................................ 3 3.1 Summary data ..................................................................................................................................... 3 3.2 Types of freshwater resources ........................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Major influences on island freshwater resources ............................................................................... 5 3.4 Types of freshwater uses ................................................................................................................... 6 3.5 Extent and type of water supply systems ........................................................................................... 6 3.5.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................ 6 3.5.2 Urban water supply systems .................................................................................................. 6 3.5.3 Rural water supply systems ................................................................................................... 8 4. Water resources management in participating countries .................................................... 8 5. Major issues and concerns ....................................................................................................... 9 5.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 9 5.2 Freshwater sustainability and availability issues ............................................................................... 9 5.3 Increasing demand for water ............................................................................................................ 10 5.4 Water quality degradation ................................................................................................................ 10 5.4.1 Surface water....................................................................................................................... 10 5.4.2 Groundwater ........................................................................................................................ 11 5.4.3 Downstream impacts ........................................................................................................... 12 5.5 Legislation, policy, planning and administrative issues ................................................................... 13 5.6 Insufficient community education, awareness and participation ..................................................... 14 5.7 Catchment management issues involving customary land tenure ................................................... 15 5.7.1 Surface water catchment case example .............................................................................. 15 5.7.2 Groundwater catchment case example ............................................................................... 15 5.8 Inappropriate technology and methods ........................................................................................... 16 5.9 Water leakage and other losses in distribution systems .................................................................. 16 5.10 Insufficient knowledge of island freshwater resources .................................................................... 17 5.10.1 Insufficient assessment and monitoring ............................................................................ 17 5.10.2 Insufficient applied research and training ....................................................................... 17 6. Measures to manage impacts and threats ............................................................................ 18 6.1 Measures to improve sustainability of freshwater resources ........................................................... 18 6.1.1 Effective planning of water resource development ............................................................. 18 6.1.2 Drought management strategies ......................................................................................... 19 6.2 Integrated and participatory catchment management ...................................................................... 20 6.2.1 Outline ................................................................................................................................. 20 6.2.2 Surface water catchment case example .............................................................................. 20 6.2.3 Sustainable forest management practices .......................................................................... 21 6.2.4 Groundwater catchment management ................................................................................ 22 6.2.5 Guidelines for groundwater protection .............................................................................. 22 6.2.6 Groundwater catchment case example ............................................................................... 22 ii 6.3 Community education, awareness and participation ........................................................................ 23 6.3.1 Village water supply project implementation and operation ............................................ 23 6.3.2 Linkages between water supply, sanitation and health ..................................................... 24 6.3.3 Water conservation.............................................................................................................. 24 6.3.4 Water resources monitoring and education ....................................................................... 24 6.4 Institutional strengthening of water agencies .................................................................................. 25 6.5 Appropriate technologies and methods ........................................................................................... 25 6.5.1 Overview of recent work ..................................................................................................... 25 6.5.2 Rainwater catchment systems ............................................................................................. 25 6.5.3 Infiltration galleries ............................................................................................................ 26 6.5.4 Improvements in sanitation systems .................................................................................... 26 6.6 Water demand management ............................................................................................................. 27 6.6.1 Metering and charging ....................................................................................................... 27 6.6.2 Leakage control .................................................................................................................. 27 6.6.3 Water saving devices ........................................................................................................... 28 6.6.4 Education and awareness about water conservation ........................................................ 28 6.6.5 Future improvements........................................................................................................... 28 6.7 Measures to cope with water supply quality degradation ............................................................... 28 6.8 Measures to improve knowledge of freshwater resources ............................................................... 29 6.8.1 Assessment and monitoring improvements ......................................................................... 29 6.8.2 Applied research in