Papua New Guinea

Innovative Actions for Community Based Water Management and Education

Donor: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Amount: $237,300 USD
Implementation Period: August 2006 - December 2007

Project aims: A pilot project which aims to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation to people in rural areas that have difficulty accessing safe water using environmental education and micro investments in sustainable technology as the two delivery tools.

Background: The project will be delivered over a period of two years. Four over-all and interconnected outputs will be delivered through 16 activities for the project to meet its aims. Social and environmental problems such as land disputes, erosion, reduction of fresh water lens on small island and illegal logging have left many villagers with little or no access to fresh water. Lack of access to safe fresh water means that people are affected by many water related diseases; conflicts arise between villages sharing the same fresh water source, river degradation, and children missing classes due to illness.

The project will work with 16 communities situated near Kimbe bay in West New Britain building self reliance of communities to identify the real causes behind degradation of fresh water resources and apply simple solutions developed through education and learning and provide technology to overcome constraints. The project aims to improve living conditions for 10,000 people near the Kimbe bay.

Activities undertaken:
1. Mobilize an action based community education programme to safe guard drinking water and improve fresh water environments
2. Support communities in the construction and maintenance of 16 communal rain water harvesting tanks
3. Support community monitoring of fresh water resources including drinking water
4. Evaluate impacts and access opportunities for multiplying successes

To view the ADB produced video, "Clean Water for Papua New Guinea" click here.