Enhancing water security for Nauru through better water management and reduced groundwater contamination

27th March 2013: Nauru's GEF Pacific IWRM Demonstration Project entitled "Enhancing water security for Nauru through better water management and reduced groundwater contamination" has successfully tested various measures to reduce stress on its fragile freshwater resources. The project has also significantly strengthened arrangements for improved integration of national government and the community in water resource and sanitation management. The results of this work were successfully used to inform the development of a national water and sanitation policy and to leverage additional resources to scale-up stress reduction measures. This Pacific IWRM 'Progress Snapshot' highlights results achieved to date.

Visit the Kava Bowl to access Nauru's 'Progress Snapshot' - click here.

Fiji IWRW: New Film Highlights Achievements in Integrating Land and Water Management for Flood Preparedness in Nadi

In April 2012 the township of Nadi in Fiji experienced devastating flooding that claimed numerous lives, rendered thousands homeless and left a path of destruction estimated into the hundreds of millions. That was the second raging flood to hit the Pacific’s travel and economic hub in just three months. This documentary highlights the vulnerability of the Pacific SIDS to such devastating climatic events and shows the work of the Nadi Basin Catchment Committee (NBCC), established with support of the GEF Pacific IWRM Project, to strengthen the technical and local coordination aspects of one of the Pacific’s most pressing water issues. Big congratulations to Mr. Vinesh Kumar and the NBCC for their many successes over recent years!

Palau IWRW: New Film Highlights Challenges and Approaches for Integrated Freshwater and Coastal Management in the Small Islands of Micronesia

The following short film entitled was produced by the GEF Pacific IWRM demonstration project team in Palau in collaboration with GEF supported Sustainable Land Management project. Targeted at the next generation of water resource management, the film highlights the strong interconnections between land, freshwater and coastal systems in small island settings. Challenges and approaches for integrated freshwater and coastal management are highlighted. Produced by Oceania TV/Roll’em Productions – great job Jeff, Lynna and team!

GEF Pacific IWRM Outputs used in US National Science Foundation's Online Education Portal on Climate Change in the Pacific Islands

18th March 2013: The United States based educational organization, PBS LearningMedia, has recently supported the US National Science Foundation to produce an online education portal on Climate Change and the Pacific Islands. This effort has drawn on videos from the GEF Pacific IWRM Project and includes teaching tips, discussion questions, and essay questions for teachers that wish to use these multi-media products in their classrooms. A range of videos from other Pacific intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations are also included. National IWRM teams are urged to share this resource with primary and secondary school teachers in their countries.

Check out the Kava Bowl for more information - click here.

Outputs of the Fourth Regional Steering Committee for the GEF Pacific IWRM Project

17th August 2012: The fourth Regional Steering Committee meeting for the SOPAC/UNDP/UNEP Project entitled "Implementing Sustainable Water Resource and Wastewater Management in Pacific Island Countries" (GEF Pacific IWRM Project) was convened in Nadi, Fiji Islands from 31st July - 3rd August 2012 This committee meeting considered recommendations of the recently concluded Mid-Term Review of the GEF Pacific IWRM Project; the status of the project’s suite of national IWRM demonstration projects; recent water and sanitation policy and IWRM planning achievements and future needs; and elaboration of the planning and implementation arrangements for strengthening community engagement in IWRM. Meeting documentation, videos and the report of the meeting can be accessed online here – Regional Steering Committee webpage.

Pacific IWRM Delivering Water and Sanitation Results in Pacific Island Countries

7th August 2012: After three years of hard work Pacific Island countries are starting to deliver significant results under the GEF Pacific IWRM Project. To celebrate the results achieved, a competition was launched this year with 12 countries submitting "Results Notes" to report on progress towards regionally agreed targets for water and sanitation management. The competition was won by the Fiji project, which focuses on the critical issue of flood risk planning in the Nadi Basin. Mr. Pisi Seleganiu from the runner-up project in Tuvalu, said the installation of 40 compost toilets on Funafuti Atoll had resulted in a 5 percent reduction in sewage pollution of groundwater and coastal waters. “These results have been instrumental in helping us get additional funding and resources to scale up our work to include a further 60 houses, which should deliver a further 8 percent reduction in sewage pollution,” Mr. Seleganiu said. Links: Results Notes | Press Release | Nauru Results Video

Nauru IWRW: New Film Showcases Results of Efforts to Reform Water and Sanitation Management in Nauru

31st July 2012: The following short film entitled "Delivering IWRM Results in the Small Island Developing State of Nauru" was produced by the GEF Pacific IWRM demonstration project team in Nauru. It shows the work of the project to increase water security via the operation of various stress reduction demonstration activities and how these were used to inform the development of a national water and sanitation policy. Success of the project to leverage additional resources to scale up stress reduction efforts is also highlighted.

Planning the Scaling-Up of Efforts to Ensure Sustainable Water Resource and Wastewater Management in Pacific Island Countries

6th July 2012: The Fourth Regional Steering Committee Meeting for the GEF supported Pacific IWRM Programme will be convened in Nadi, Fiji Islands from 30th July – 3rd August 2012. The meeting will be participated in by National IWRM Focal Points and Demonstration Project Managers, as well as representatives of the GEF Secretariat, the European Union, the GEF Implementing Agencies, IUCN, US and Australian diplomatic missions, and the Pacific regional CROP agencies. Important items of business for consideration by the Committee include: recommendations of the recently concluded Mid-Term Review of the GEF Pacific IWRM Project; the status of the project’s suite of national IWRM demonstration projects; recent water and sanitation policy and IWRM planning achievements and future needs; development of a regional initiative to establish an IWRM indicator framework for Pacific Island Countries; and elaboration of the planning and implementation arrangements for strengthening community engagement in IWRM. More information and background documents for the meeting can be accessed online here – Regional Steering Committee webpage.

Marc Wilson, Regional Project Manager

Nauru Develops IWRM Implementation Plan Aimed at Ensuring National Water and Sanitation Policy Leads to Strengthened IWRM and Water Security

4th July 2012: In February this year Nauru released its first National Water and Sanitation Policy to address the significant threats, identify key response areas and ensure the water and sanitation needs of a wide range of stakeholders is met. Speaking on ABC Radio’s Pacific Beat this week, Mr. Buraman explained that Nauru had also recently produced an IWRM implementation plan to turn that policy into action. The development of Nauru’s Water and Sanitation Policy and Implementation Plan is part of an ongoing regional effort of the Pacific IWRM Programme to develop national water policies and IWRM Plans in Pacific Island countries. This work has drawn on the practical experiences and lessons learned from Nauru’s Global Environment Facility supported national IWRM demonstration project.

Click play below to listen to the audio recording of the interview

Use of EcoSan to Safeguard the Laura Water Lens in Majuro Atoll Featured on ABC Radio

28th June 2012: Julius Lucky, Project Manager for the GEF supported Pacific IWRM Demonstration Project in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) was interviewed by Geraldine Coutts on ABC’s Pacific Beat today. RMI’s GEF IWRM demonstration project is focused on safeguarding Majuro Atoll’s Laura Water Lens and is currently piloting a range of stress reduction measures to reduce contamination of the lens from overloaded and ineffective septic systems and pig waste. Mr. Lucky explained that this GEF initiative was the first for the RMI that provided direct support to the local community living above the Laura water lens to help them reduce their household impacts on water quality and secure longer-term access to safe water. Photos here – Kava Bowl.

Click play below to listen to the audio recording of the interview

EcoSan Composting Toilets Designed and Tested by the Atoll Country of Tuvalu Piloted on Majuro Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands

27th June 2012: Pisi Seleganiu, Project Manager of Tuvalu’s GEF IWRM Project is leading the construction of composting toilets on Majuro Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, to trial how effective they are at reducing septic pollution of Majuro’s main groundwater resource, the Laura water lens. Julius Lucky, Project Manager for the Marshall Islands GEF IWRM project, said RMI had a lot to learn from Tuvalu’s experience and that looking at all options to protect Majuro’s water was vital for the long term sustainability of the atoll. “We have similar water and sanitation issues as Tuvalu but unlike Funafuti, Majuro has the advantage of still having a viable groundwater supply under Laura. With increased climate variability and the possibility of more intense droughts we need innovative solutions to protect what little water we have,” Mr Lucky said. “We are very fortunate with the support of the Global Environment Facility to be able to learn from the experiences of our Pacific neighbours and the adoption of composting toilets should be a part of a range of initiatives to ensure the long term viability of our groundwater.” More in the Kava Bowl.