Public Works Minister Hiroshi Yamamura signed a Pacific Declaration on Water Development on behalf of the Marshall Islands.
RMI was one of 11 Pacific countries to sign the declaration committing to an integrated approach to better water management in the region.
The signing was the highlight of the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association’s (PWWA’s) annual conference “Sustainable Water Development for the Pacific Region” held in Port Moresby last month. Minister Yamamura also presented a summary of the current water resource and supply issues facing RMI, including the different challenges for Majuro and Ebeye and the further differences for smaller outer islands communities.
“With Majuro very reliant on capture of rainfall from the airport runway, Ebeye reliant on its major reverse osmosis facilities and the outer islands reliant on rainwater harvesting, our solutions vary widely,” Yamamura said. “Although rainwater harvesting is practiced in Majuro and Ebeye it is not integrated into an overall water management approach.”
He added “with the imminent El Nino predicted to cause much lower than normal rainfall in early 2016 each of our communities needs to develop drought management plans, including integration of rainwater harvesting, as well as ensuring our water management systems are fully functional.”
To read more, subscribe to the Marshall Islands Journal by clicking on the subscribe button top right.