GEOSCIENCE DIVISION
Map Cook Islands Federated Sates of Micronesia Fiji Kiribati Nauru Niue Papua New Guinea Republic of Marshall Islands Republic of Palau Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu
Country
Population
Land Area
Climate
Water resource
Water consumption
Country Cook Islands Cook Islands
Population 21,750 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 236.7 km2
Climate
Water resource
Water consumption
Country Federated Sates of Micronesia Federated Sates of Micronesia
Population 107,862 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 702 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 4,928 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Fiji Fiji
Population 918 675 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 18,270 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2000 - 3000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Kiribati Kiribati
Population 107,817 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 811 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: South of the equator: 1,300 mm Tarawa: 2,000 mm Northernmost islands: over 3,200mm Eastern Line Islands: less than 1,000 mm
Water consumption
Country Nauru Nauru
Population 11,528 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 21 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2,090 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Niue Niue
Population 1,625m(GoN statistics 2006)
Land Area 260 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2,180 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea
Population 5,795,887 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 462,840 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall:1000-80000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Republic of Marshall Islands Republic of Marshall Islands
Population 20,842
Land Area 458 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3,700 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Republic of Palau Republic of Palau
Population 61,815(July 2007 est.)
Land Area 11,854.3 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: Southern attols: 4,000mm Northern attols:2,000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Samoa Samoa
Population 214,265
Land Area 2,944 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3,000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Solomon Islands Solomon Islands
Population 566,842
Land Area 28,450 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall:1500-5000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Tonga Tonga
Population 116,921
Land Area 748 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: Varies from north and south of tonga with an estimated average of 2500 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Tuvalu Tuvalu
Population 11.992 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 26 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3000mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Vanuatu Vanuatu
Population 211,971 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 12,200 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2000 - 4000 mm per annum
Water consumption
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Republic of the Marshall Islands
Geography
Total Area 11,854.3 km2
Land 181.3 km2
Water 0 km2
Highest Elevation 10 m

Land Use
Arable 11.11%
Perm. Crop 44.44%
Other 44.45% (2005)

People
Population 61,815 (July 2007 est.)
Population Growth Rate 2.207% (2007 est.)

Economy
GDP per capita (PPP) $9,100 (2005 est)

Water Statistics
Avg Rainfall  Southern atolls: 4,000 mm
   Northern atolls: 2,000 mm
Republic of the Marshall Islands

Status of Water Resources

For the RMI as a whole, the supply of natural freshwater is severely limited. The primary source of freshwater is rain which (due to the low elevation of the atolls and islands) soaks directly into the soil and disperses into saltwater which permeates atoll subsoils. In some favourable locations some of the freshwater may accumulate in a Ghyben-Herzberg lens which floats on the saltwater below and can be accessed with wells (SOPAC 1996).

There is a rainfall gradient, with heavier rainfall in the southern atolls and islands (typically in excess of 100 inches per annum) and less rainfall in the northern atolls and islands (typically less than 100 inches per annum).

Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues
The major issues and concerns related to overall water management in the RMI are as follows:
  • Insufficient quantity
Various studies have identified that Majuro’s current 36.5 million gallon reservoir capacity as insufficient and should be doubled in order to help meet growing demand. Moreover, in the Majuro water reticulated supply system there is significant leakage and theft which may be contributing to up to 50 percent wastage of water.
  • Challenged public utilities
The two main water utilities, MWSC on Majuro and Kajur on Ebeye, continue to face great challenges in delivering quality water and services on a consistent and reliable basis. On Ebeye an added complication stems from the fact that power problems (power is also run by Kajur) directly create water supply problems. On both Majuro and Ebeye, capacity development and training remain critical for the improvement of financial and operational management.
  • Contamination
Contamination and pollution are real and present threats to water resources everywhere, including in the water systems, in the groundwater (especially in urban areas), in household catchments, and in coastal areas. For Outer Island households, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has dramatically increased its water quality testing in recent years and has revealed that a high percentage of home water catchments are contaminated, this also is the case in the urban centres. This, in turn, supports the data that show a high and increasing prevalence of water-borne diseases).
  • Weak conservation and demand management
Public attitude and awareness on water conservation, reuse, and related issues is poor. Campaigns for water conservation are few and far between, even during the dry season. Moreover, there is virtually no promotion of water efficient appliances. The EPA’s community water monitoring program has proven to be an effective face-to-face way of educating various communities and this presents an opportunity for further improvement.
  • Non-integrated management
There is fragmentation of authority and responsibility over water issues, with no single organisation or entity serving to pull together information and harmonise efforts. There exists no national level water committee (or similar entity) and community level coordination is just starting. The RMI has no information exchange system on water resources.

Diagnostic Report
Demonstration Proposal
Hot Spot Analysis

Information on this page obtained from Integrated Water Resources Management programme's Diagnostic Reports (SOPAC 2007)