Climate Change Resilience
31 July 2014, Nadi Fiji - In 2011 Tokelau was caught unprepared by a drought which led to water rationing for a month with 75% of households with no water and communal tanks with a mere 30% capacity of remaining water at the very bottom of the tank, the dirtiest and most unsafe water unsafe for consumption.
Fast forward three years to today.
If struck by a drought again, this time Tokelau will be better prepared having received support from the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change-Plus (PACC+) project.
The PACC+ component of the PACC project is funded by the Government of Australia from which ten pacific islands countries including Tokelau have benefitted from.
In Tokelau approximately 250 homes in the villages of Nukunonu, Fakaofo and Atafu are receiving support through four different phases; strengthening rainwater connections, build guttering to downpipes; the reparation of tanks, many of which are now over 30 - 40 years old and have been built within the foundation of homes; the installation of First Flush Devices to strengthen the quality of water and; the purchase of additional 10,000 litre plastic water tanks for each of the three villages to store water communally.
"We've had to repair many concrete water tanks as many of them have worn through and are now leaking, " said Ms. Jewel Toloa, the PACC national coordinator of Tokelau.
"As for the communal water tanks we are looking at a minimum of 10 tanks per village - these will be used to store water currently in household tanks that have been identified for cleaning and repair so we don't waste the water already stored in them."
Not only is the PACC+ Tokelau Project providing the infrastructure to store water, the project has also supported awareness and understanding of better water conservation practices and the importance of safe and hygienic water for consumption.
"The PACC Project has changed the lives tremendously in terms of water supply, people on Tokelau now have cleaner water and they are more informed of better water sanitation issues. We really see the women in Tokelau taking the lead in taking care of the water and it shows, when we inform our people, they take it on and do a really great job."
To date over 70% of the homes have completed the strengthening of their rainwater connections with over 50% of homes on Tokelau having had their water tanks repaired and first flush diverters installed. First flush diverters filter the debris from the first few minutes of rainfall away from the tank.
It is planned that all four phases will be completed by November this year.
PACC is a multi-million dollar activity funded by the Global Environment Facility and the Government of Australia. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the implementing agency and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is the implementing partner, responsible for coordination and overall project management.
PACC covers 14 Pacific island countries, including Palau, helping to adapt to climate change by targeting one of the three key areas of food security and production, water resource management and coastal protection.
The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project countries are Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tokelau, Vanuatu. The 5th Multipartite Review Meeting of the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Projects is held in Nadi, Fiji from 28 July to 1 August.
Photo courtesy of PACC Tokelau
Fast forward three years to today.
If struck by a drought again, this time Tokelau will be better prepared having received support from the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change-Plus (PACC+) project.
The PACC+ component of the PACC project is funded by the Government of Australia from which ten pacific islands countries including Tokelau have benefitted from.
In Tokelau approximately 250 homes in the villages of Nukunonu, Fakaofo and Atafu are receiving support through four different phases; strengthening rainwater connections, build guttering to downpipes; the reparation of tanks, many of which are now over 30 - 40 years old and have been built within the foundation of homes; the installation of First Flush Devices to strengthen the quality of water and; the purchase of additional 10,000 litre plastic water tanks for each of the three villages to store water communally.
"We've had to repair many concrete water tanks as many of them have worn through and are now leaking, " said Ms. Jewel Toloa, the PACC national coordinator of Tokelau.
"As for the communal water tanks we are looking at a minimum of 10 tanks per village - these will be used to store water currently in household tanks that have been identified for cleaning and repair so we don't waste the water already stored in them."
Not only is the PACC+ Tokelau Project providing the infrastructure to store water, the project has also supported awareness and understanding of better water conservation practices and the importance of safe and hygienic water for consumption.
"The PACC Project has changed the lives tremendously in terms of water supply, people on Tokelau now have cleaner water and they are more informed of better water sanitation issues. We really see the women in Tokelau taking the lead in taking care of the water and it shows, when we inform our people, they take it on and do a really great job."
To date over 70% of the homes have completed the strengthening of their rainwater connections with over 50% of homes on Tokelau having had their water tanks repaired and first flush diverters installed. First flush diverters filter the debris from the first few minutes of rainfall away from the tank.
It is planned that all four phases will be completed by November this year.
PACC is a multi-million dollar activity funded by the Global Environment Facility and the Government of Australia. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the implementing agency and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is the implementing partner, responsible for coordination and overall project management.
PACC covers 14 Pacific island countries, including Palau, helping to adapt to climate change by targeting one of the three key areas of food security and production, water resource management and coastal protection.
The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project countries are Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tokelau, Vanuatu. The 5th Multipartite Review Meeting of the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Projects is held in Nadi, Fiji from 28 July to 1 August.
Photo courtesy of PACC Tokelau