Source: ChildFund New Zealand
New research has found that 78% of water samples tested from public and community water sources, including schools, were classified as unsafe or high risk on the outer island of Tamana in Kiribati.
ChildFund New Zealand’s research also found that half of surveyed households reported at least one household member experiencing a waterborne illness during the previous six months.
ChildFund New Zealand CEO Josie Pagani says the findings are a stark reminder of how precarious safe water access remains for families on remote Pacific islands.
“It’s a failure of infrastructure, rather than a shortage of water. The good news is that it’s fixable,” says Josie Pagani.
The assessment was conducted in collaboration with ChildFund Kiribati, UNICEF, Kiribati government agencies and the Tamana Outer Island Council.
The household survey represents approximately 30% of all households on Tamana.
Of the samples taken from public wells and rainwater tanks:
- 52% were classified as unsafe
- A further 26% were classified as high risk or possibly unsafe
- Only 22% were classified as safe
- Only 24% of households said they always had enough water for drinking, cooking, washing, and sanitation
Much of the infrastructure needed to capture and store rainwater requires repair.
“We don’t always have to create new projects. We can fix what’s already there, especially in schools where children are drinking water that is unsafe.”
The findings come as El Niño strengthens rapidly across the tropical Pacific. Tamana’s water security is vulnerable to both prolonged dry periods and extreme weather. Groundwater can become more saline during prolonged dry conditions and can also be contaminated following storms, flooding and seawater intrusion.
ChildFund Kiribati has identified priority rehabilitation needs and is working to determine options for future repairs and investment, alongside improved access to spare parts and technical support, continued water-quality monitoring and practical education about water treatment and handwashing.
“The encouraging part is that most of these problems have practical solution. A repaired gutter, a working tap, or access to the right spare part can be the difference between a family drinking safe water or not,” says Josie Pagani.