Environmental Impact Assessment for Establishment of Water Network in R. Maduvvari Environmental Impact Assessment for Establishment of an Integrated Water Management System in R. Maduvvari August 2017 Proposed by: Ministry of Environment and Energy Consultant: Development Advisory Services Pvt Ltd Environmental Impact Assessment for Establishment of Water Network in R. Maduvvari Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. i List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. v List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vi Acknowledgment .......................................................................................................................... vii Consultants Declaration ............................................................................................................... viii Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... ix ާސާލުހ ާދާސ ........................................................................................................................................ xii 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The purpose of this EIA report ......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Title ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Project Proponent ............................................................................................................. 1 1.4 Scope of the EIA and Terms of Reference ....................................................................... 1 1.5 EIA Methodology ............................................................................................................. 2 1.6 Literature review .............................................................................................................. 3 1.7 Project Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................ 3 2. Project Description ................................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Project location and study area......................................................................................... 4 2.2 Justification for the project ............................................................................................... 5 2.2.1 Current situation........................................................................................................ 5 2.2.2 Expected Benefits of the Project ............................................................................... 6 2.3 The Project ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.3.1 The project outline and project site plan ................................................................... 6 2.4 Project boundary and impact zone ................................................................................... 7 2.5 Detailed Project Outline ................................................................................................... 8 2.5.1 Installation and operation of RO plant ...................................................................... 8 2.5.2 Feedwater and brine outfall of RO system ............................................................... 8 2.5.3 Rainwater harvesting and conveyance system ........................................................ 10 2.5.4 Water storage and network systems ........................................................................ 13 2.5.5 Site Plan, Operation Building and Laboratory ........................................................ 14 2.5.6 Power Supply .......................................................................................................... 16 2.5.7 Construction Phase Activities ................................................................................. 17 2.5.8 Site Preparation ....................................................................................................... 17 2.5.9 Health and Safety Issues ......................................................................................... 19 2.5.10 2.4.9 Operational Phase Activities .......................................................................... 19 2.6 Project Management ....................................................................................................... 20 2.7 Risks associated with the project ................................................................................... 20 2.8 Emergency provision of water ....................................................................................... 20 2.9 Project Inputs and Outputs ............................................................................................. 21 2.10 Project duration and schedule ........................................................................................ 22 3. Policy and Legislative Framework ..................................................................................... 23 i Environmental Impact Assessment for Establishment of Water Network in R. Maduvvari 3.1 Regulatory Consideration ............................................................................................... 23 3.1.1 Environmental Protection and Preservation Act (Law no. 4/93) ............................ 23 3.1.2 Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation (2007), First Amendment (2012) and Second Amendment (2015) ............................................................................................ 23 3.1.3 Regulation on desalination ...................................................................................... 24 3.1.4 National biodiversity strategy and action plan........................................................ 24 3.1.5 Protected Areas and Environmentally Sensitive Areas .......................................... 25 3.1.6 Waste management policy ...................................................................................... 25 3.1.7 Dewatering Regulation ........................................................................................... 25 3.1.8 Regulation on cutting down, uprooting, digging out and export of trees and palms 26 3.2 International conventions, treaties and protocols ........................................................... 26 3.2.1 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) ............................ 26 3.2.2 The Marpol Convention .......................................................................................... 26 3.2.3 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).............. 27 3.3 Administrative Considerations ....................................................................................... 27 3.3.1 Ministry of Environment and Energy ..................................................................... 27 3.3.2 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ............................................................... 28 3.3.3 Maldives Energy Authority (MEA) ........................................................................ 28 3.3.4 Island and Atoll Councils........................................................................................ 28 4. Survey Methods ................................................................................................................... 29 4.1 General Methodology of Data collection ....................................................................... 29 4.2 Mapping and location Identification .............................................................................. 29 4.3 Marine Survey ................................................................................................................ 29 4.3.1 Photo Quadrat Methodology ................................................................................... 29 4.3.2 Fish Belt Transect Methodology ............................................................................. 30 4.3.3 Surface currents ...................................................................................................... 30 4.4 Terrestrial Survey ........................................................................................................... 30 4.5 Water Quality ................................................................................................................. 30 4.6 Public consultation ......................................................................................................... 30 5. Existing Environment.......................................................................................................... 32 5.1 General Settings ............................................................................................................. 32 5.2 Locations of the survey .................................................................................................. 32 5.3 Climatology .................................................................................................................... 32 5.4 Tides