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
Theme
Key Message
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Status
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Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting has not generally been given the attention it deserves. It has often been looked upon as a technology of last resort, to be used only when no other alternatives exist, such as on some of the Pacific low-lying islands lacking fresh surface water or groundwater. However, even when alternative supplies do exist, rainwater can provide a useful supplementary supply and important backup when the main supply breaks down, dries up or becomes saline during droughts. Through the use of rainwater harvesting the demand on existing water resources can be reduced.

Rainfall generally occurs everywhere in the Pacific in abundant quantity. Since most people live in houses with roofs they already have a catchment surface from which rainwater runoff can be collected. Add guttering and a tank and householders are ready to "harvest the heavens".

SOPAC's most recent involvement in rainwater harvesting in the region has been with a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) pilot project carried out in Vava'u, Tonga through the Ama Takiloa programme of the Tonga Community Development Trust (TCDT). The project was part of a UNEP initiative to promote rainwater harvesting both in Africa and the Pacific region. Apart from the construction of rainwater harvesting infrastructure in two villages, there are 3 main outputs from the project which aim to capture the lessons learned and so provide useful tools for others promoting and carrying out rainwater harvesting projects. These are:

A DVD documentary which follows the pilot project in Vava'u. The video highlights important aspects of the project including community participation and ownership, encouraging women as well as men to participate in water management and promoting sustainable approaches.










A manual for participatory training in rainwater harvesting. The manual was developed to complement a "Training of Trainers" workshop that was conducted as part of the project. It is targeted for use by NGOs, CBOs or others involved in rainwater harvesting and contains a number of participatory techniques, tools and activities to assist communities in learning about the operation and maintenance of rainwater harvesting systems.









 Guidelines for Rainwater Harvesting in Pacific Island Countries. The guidelines are for people who are interested in building or maintaining a rainwater harvesting system. It is also for NGOs, CBOs, regional organisations and donor agencies that are involved in the implementation of rainwater harvesting projects. The intention of the guidelines is to help in the sustainable implementation of rainwater harvesting projects as well as to assist in improving the quality of the water supply. It contains both technical design, operation and maintenance information as well as discussing approaches to project implementation and sustainability.








Tongan version of the Harvesting the Heavens manual.











The Guidelines and Manual can be downloaded by clicking on the front cover icons above.
Hard copies and copies of the DVD are available through the SOPAC secretariat.