From vision to action: towards sustainable water management in the Pacific - theme 1 overview report : water resources management

Abstract

The integrated and sustainable management of water resources in small island countries of the Pacific and other regions is vital for the health and social well being of their people, the protection of their environments and the development of their economies. The very limited nature of water resources, the vulnerability of these islands and their resources, including water, to natural disasters, over-exploitation and pollution combined with increasing demands for freshwater due to expanding populations and, in some cases, tourism, industry and agriculture, makes the sustainable management of water resources a very high priority. In reality, there are many issues which currently constrain the achievement of the goal of sustainable water resources management. At the national level, there is often fragmentation in the water sector, inadequate water resources legislation, policy and planning. There is often insufficient local human resources capacity to conduct water resources assessment and monitoring. In many islands, there is insufficient hydrological data available for analysis and water resources planning. Other issues include conflicts related to use of water resources and locations of water supply systems on customary land, problems with designs and implementation of projects, and insufficient community education, awareness & participation. In addition, there are some water resources issues which require further applied research and training in order to better understand them and to disseminate results