What a good idea, as there surely is plenty of salt water around Kia Island, but they've always had the problem of not enough fresh water. The answer is desalination, but I wonder how much it cost.
Here's the story in today's Fiji Times.
Villagers celebrate opening of desalination plant
Serafina Silaitoga
Friday, December 27, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
THE days of
each household bringing a bucket of water each to village functions is over for
villagers of Ligau on Kia Island in Macuata.
On Saturday, the villagers
celebrated the opening of their very own desalination plant that turns seawater
into drinking water. Commissioned by the permanent secretary for Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Amena Yauvoli, the village elders have labelled the Japanese-donated
machine a blessing.
Village headman Akuila
Tutora said for more than five decades, villagers of Kia have struggled to find
proper drinking water. "We are blessed here at Ligau Village that the
government and the Water Authority of Fiji decided to install the machine in
our area because of the school and it will also help us organise our village
function more confidently," Mr Tutora said."In the past years, if we
have a village function here in Ligau, every family will have to bring a bucket
of water each for the function. If the function involves the whole island, then
the families from the three villages of Ligau, Daku and Yaro will have to come
with their supply of water."
Mr Tutora said such
experiences were a challenge for the villagers."It's not easy but we have
to bring the water to the function because the children will need it for
drinking and our women for cooking and for the grog during traditional
ceremony. We have pools and springs of water in the villages but it is
only used for bathing and washing clothes. The villagers of Kia depend on
the rain for drinking water if our water springs dry up during dry
weather."
The desalination plant was
donated by the Japanese Government at the cost of about $3million. Ligau
Village has two plants installed because of the shortage of drinking water
faced on the island.
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And a story about Kavewa Island from Fiji Sun.
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And a story about Kavewa Island from Fiji Sun.
It’s only clean water now in Kavewa
Village headman Emosi Time tests the water at the new desalination plant. Photo: SERUWAIA WAQASAQA
By SERUWAIA WAQASAQA
Villagers of Kavewa Island in Macuata rejoiced in their new found water supplying last Friday after a desalination plant was opened.
Given by Japan and installed by the Water Authority of Fiji, the plant was part of the Cool Earth Partnership.
Speaking during the commissioning of the plant, the chief guest and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Amena Yauvoli, said the villagers should be grateful for the Government’s support in installing the desalination plant.
Prior to the installation the villagers had to use rain water for cooking and drinking.
Village headman Emosi Time said years of depending on well and rain water had come to end.
Mr Time said the 20 households in the village had been without proper drinking water since the village was established.
“Women in the village wash clothes and dishes at a small stream and depend on rain water for drinking and stored water in the tank,” he said.
Mr Time thanked the Government and WAF for their assistance.
Meanwhile, Kia Island in Macuata will also receive a desalination plant.
Given by Japan and installed by the Water Authority of Fiji, the plant was part of the Cool Earth Partnership.
Speaking during the commissioning of the plant, the chief guest and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Amena Yauvoli, said the villagers should be grateful for the Government’s support in installing the desalination plant.
Prior to the installation the villagers had to use rain water for cooking and drinking.
Village headman Emosi Time said years of depending on well and rain water had come to end.
Mr Time said the 20 households in the village had been without proper drinking water since the village was established.
“Women in the village wash clothes and dishes at a small stream and depend on rain water for drinking and stored water in the tank,” he said.
Mr Time thanked the Government and WAF for their assistance.
Meanwhile, Kia Island in Macuata will also receive a desalination plant.
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