Regional Report
Regional Process
Commission
Region: Asia-Pacific
ANNEX
Oceania & Pacific Sub-Region

Coordinator: Asia-Pacific Water Forum

Pre-forum version
March 2018

As i a -P a ci fic W a t er F o r u m
8 th W ORL D W ATER FORUM | BRASÍ L I A -BRASI L , MARC H 1 8 -2 3 , 2 0 1 8
www.worldwaterforum8.org | secretariat@worldwaterforum8.org] office@apwf.org

Asia-Pacific Regional Report
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Asia Pacific Water Forum

Oceania & Pacific
Australasia Sub-Regional Coordinator: International WaterCentre
Pacific Sub-Regional Coordinator: Secretariat of Pacific Community
This report covers Australasia and Pacific Sub-region. While it introduces the overview of each
sub-region, the discussion about the required solutions will particularly focus on PacificSub-region, as it is getting further challenges to secure safe water supply and basic sanitation
because of their uniqueness.

Overview of Australasia Sub-Region
The Australasian Sub-Region, comprising of Australia, New Zealand and surrounding external
territories (islands), is located in the Oceanic Region between the Indian and South Pacific
Oceans. There is significant variability in climate and rainfall between Australia and New
Zealand, and also across the Australian continent itself. New Zealand has three times the percapita renewable fresh water resources of Australia, while Australia has close to thirty times
the landmass of New Zealand and six times its population (see figure below).
Most Australians and New Zealanders have ready access to water, and despite being one of
the world’s driest inhabited continents, with access to just over one per cent of global
freshwater resources, Australia has one of the highest per capita usage rates in the world.
While New Zealand has a relative abundance of renewable freshwater resources, population
growth and urbanisation will put increasing pressure on this supply.
Australia and New Zealand enjoy a relatively consistent high standard of service delivery inwater and sanitation, and significant water security threats relate mostly to urbanisation,
population growth, climate change and the financing, management and delivery of water
services.
In New Zealand, there is a growing consumer expectation regarding water services andinstilling a cost to abstract water from the environment. In Australia too, finding ways tobalance water needs across differing user groups and the environment continues to attract
strong opinions, along with water pricing and how utilities can best finance water supply andsanitation services. Australia faces further challenges in delivering safe and affordable drinking
water to regional, rural and remote Australia, often across vast geographical service areas withlow population density.
Future-proofing supplies against climate change is the largest emerging risk to water security
in the Australasia Sub-Region. Rainfall in most parts of Australia and New Zealand will decrease
and become more uncertain with climate change and temperatures are projected to increase,
while fewer, more intense periods of rainfall are predicted. In this regard, addressing water
security threats will focus on how both countries can: diversify their supplies to mitigate
against reduced rainfall; innovate in agriculture and other sectors to improve water quality andcatchment management; improve urban planning to achieve more water sensitive cities;
manage water markets and the trading of water between users; and develop/progress

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Asia-Pacific Regional Report
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Asia Pacific Water Forumbest-practice policy to better manage water and associated services across multiple
jurisdictions.

Country

Territory(km2)

Australia
New
Zealand7,692,024
268,021

Population
2016(Estimated) 1

GDP per
capita($US)
estimated

Renewableinternal
fresh water
resources
per capita(2014) 2(m3/year)
24,446,000 56,554.00
20,971
4,692,700 38,201.60
72,510% access toimproved*
drinkingwater
resources(2015) 3% Peopleusing Basicsanitation
services**(2015) 4

100.00100.00100.00100.00Overview of Pacific Sub-Region
There are approximately 10 million people living in the Pacific sub-region, on islands scatteredacross 180 million square kilometres, an area 17 times larger than Europe.
The 14 island countries of the sub-region (Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia,
Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon
Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) form part of a global group of small island developing
states (SIDS) that share similar sustainable development challenges.
National populations range from over 8 million spread across approximately 800 islands thatcomprise the nation of Papua New Guinea, to single island nations such as Niue with apopulation of around 1,600. More than 80% of the total population of the sub-region lives inrural areas, including on remote islands and in difficult to access mountainous regions.
Despite the enormous diversity of the sub-region, water security is a critical sustainable
development issue for all Pacific island countries, with profound impacts on lives andlivelihoods, economic growth, public health, the environment and human rights.

1

World Bank Databank http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=population-estimates-and-projections
World Bank Databank
3 World Bank Data bank
4 World Bank Data bank2

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Figure 1: The 14 Pacific island countries of the sub-region, shown alongside Australia and New Zealand

The sub-region comprises a diverse range of island types, including volcanic, raised limestone,
atolls and sandy islets, each with their own water resource characteristics (a summary of thegeophysical and demographic characteristics of each Pacific island country can be found at
Table 1 below). For many Pacific island communities, the availability of freshwater resources
is confined to groundwater lenses, small streams and rainwater collected from roofs. These
scarce resources are vulnerable to overexploitation and contamination, particularly in small
island environments, where limited potable groundwater sources can be threatened by overexploitation, land use activities and inappropriate sanitation facilities.

Unique water and sanitation challenges
Compared to other areas of the world, the Pacific sub-region faces some unique challenges insecuring safe water supply and basic sanitation for its populations, including: small
communities spread over vast distances; limited and extremely vulnerable water resources;
limited human and financial resources; and rapidly changing demographics.
The sub-region is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and change, andsubject to a relatively high frequency of natural hazards, including cyclones, floods anddroughts. The serious and emerging impacts of climate change add a further dimension to
the problem: threatening resources; increasing uncertainties; and intensifying the extremes ofclimate variability.
In 2017, the Pacific was identified by the World Risk Report5 as the region with the highest
disaster risk from a five year perspective, and the only region in which the population’s
5

BÜNDNIS ENTWICKLUNG HILFT (2017) WorldRiskReport 2017. Berl in: Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft

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Asia-Pacific Regional Report
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Asia Pacific Water Forumvulnerability to extreme natural events had risen according to the World Risk Index (Vanuatu
and Tonga were assessed to be the most vulnerable, with a further four Pacific island countries
identified amongst the fifteen most vulnerable countries on earth).
In combination, these challenges contribute to a further unique characteristic of the Pacificsub-region - its relatively poor performance in meeting globally agreed targets for water andsanitation.
Table1: Geophysical and demographic characteristics of Pacific island countries
Pacific
IslandCountry

Capital

Land
Area
(km2)

No. ofislandsoratollsPredominantislandtypes
accordingtogeology
Vol cani c,limes tone, a toll ,mi xedVol cani c,a toll ,s a nd, mixed
Vol cani c,limes tone, a toll ,s a nd, mixed
Atolls and coralislands,one
l i mestone i sland
Atolls and corali s landsMax
heightabove
SL (m)EEZ (km2)

Popu-lation (at lastcensus)GDP per
capita(USD)

652

1830,000

14,73019,523(2014)

791

2,996,419

102,800

3,056(2013)

1,324

1,282,978867,000

3,757(2013)

81

3,441,810

113,400

1,442(2013)

10

1,990,530

54,880

Cook
Islands

Ava rua

237

15

FSM

Pa l ikir

701

607

Fiji

Suva

18,333332

Kiribati

Ta ra wa

811

33

RMI

Ma juro

181

29

Nauru

Ya ren21

1

Li mestone71

308,480

10,840Niue

Al ofi259

1

Li mestone68

450,000

1470

Palau

Mel ekeok

444

~200

242

603,978

17,950PNG

Port
Mores by462,840

~800

4,509

2,402,288

8.1
Mi l lion

Samoa

Api a

2934

9

1857

127,950

187,300

SolomonIslands

Honi ara

28,230347

2335

1,553,444

642,000

Tonga

Nuku’alofa

749

171

1033

659,558

103,300

TuvaluFuna futi

26

9Atol l s

5749,790

11,010

VanuatuPort Vi l a

12,28180

Vol cani cwi thcoas tal sands andl i mestone

1877

663,251

277,500

Vol cani c,somewi th l imestone
Vol cani c,limes tone, a toll ,s a nd, mixed
Vol ca nic
Vol cani c,
l i mestone, a tolls
Vol cani c,limes tone, sand,mi xed3,524(2013)
11,015(2014)
12,945(2012)
13,835(2014)
1,931(2013)
4,231(2014)
1643(2013)
4280(2013-1
4)3253(2013)
2864(2013)

Performance against global targets for water and sanitation
Considered individually, a majority of PICs achieved the MDG targets for drinking water andsanitation in 2015. However, when considered as a whole, the Pacific region’s MDG waterand sanitation targets were not reached, with regional sanitation coverage estimated at only5

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31% and drinking water coverage estimated at just 48% in 2015 6 . While rates of coveragevary widely between and within Pacific island countries, when considered as a whole the
combined coverage levels for both water and sanitation are lower than in any other region of
the world.
It is important to note that, while all Pacific island countries are making progress in increasing
access to safe water and sanitation, in many cases these are not keeping pace with population
growth and demographic changes. From 2000 to 2015, sanitation coverage levels in the
sub-region stagnated, while water coverage levels dropped slightly (over the same period, theworld average has increased by 9 percentage points for sanitation and 8 points for water) 7.
This relatively poor regional performance is compounded by the challenges of improving
access to improved water and sanitation in the region’s most water-challenged communities particularly those located in rural Melanesia, informal urban settlements, and remote atoll
environments.
4
13

12

15
7

12
8

52

Open Defecation
Unimproved

Limited4

75

68

At least basic

31

Pacific only

East Asia and the PacificWorld

Figure 2: Percentage access to improved sanitation in Pacific island countries in 2015
compared to East Asia and the Pacific combined and the World as a whole 8 .

6

WHO/UNICEF/SPC/UNHABITAT (2016), Sanitation, drinking-water and health in Pacific island countries : 2015
update and future outlook. Geneva : WHO.
UNICEF Ea st Asia a nd Pa cific Regional Office (2017), A Snapshot of Water and Sanitation in the Pacific 2017 Regional
Analysis of UNICEF Programme Countries. Ba ngkok: UNICEF.
7 Ibi d8 Ibi d6

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1
4
1

2
6
4

33

17

2

Surface
Unimproved

94

89

LimitedAt least basic

48

Pacific only

East Asia and the PacificWorld

Figure 3: Percentage access to improved drinking water in Pacific island countries in 2015
compared to East Asia and the Pacific combined and the World as a whole 9 .

Required solutions
Given the unique and difficult challenges faced by the Pacific sub-regional, and the persistentbarriers to improved access to safe water and sanitation, a fundamental recalibration isrequired in the efforts by Pacific island countries and development partners. The need forthis surge in efforts is even greater in the light of projected impacts of climate change andpopulation increases. Achieving national, regional and global targets for water and sanitation
require that current efforts of countries be converted into serious and sufficient investments
going forward.
Dialogue with Pacific island countries and development partners has identified that a numberof critical factors need to be considered when formulising the targeted investments required
to support meaningful progress towards global drinking water and sanitation targets acrossthe sub-region. To be effective, investments will need to be formulated specific to individual
Pacific island country needs, and designed to achieve the following critical outcomes:
1. Strengthen community resilience to natural hazards and climate change
Pacific water and disaster managers have acknowledged that the sub-region’s vulnerabilities tonatural hazards and climate change cannot be addressed without increased investments inwater and sanitation, and that these efforts must be an integrated component of resilience
efforts at the national and community levels. Support is required to strengthen and replicate
country efforts to assess, manage and adapt to the water-related impacts of natural hazards
and climate change, including through the maintenance of multiple water “lifelines” supported
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Asia-Pacific Regional Report
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2.

Support the capacity of small, isolated and informal communities

The sub-region is home to numerous small, isolated and informal communities, often withlimited access to government and private sector services. For these communities, drinking
water, sanitation and hygiene are primarily managed at the household, village or settlementlevel. These communities face significant disparities in access to safe water and sanitationcompared to their urban counterparts, and are expected to experience high population growth
rates in the coming years. Targeted support is required to empower small, isolated andinformal communities to establish, operate and maintain their own appropriate water andsanitation facilities, while also maintaining safe drinking-water and hygiene practices in homes,
schools and health facilities.
3. Protect limited and fragile water resources from “ridge to reef”
For many Pacific communities, freshwater resources are confined to small and fragile
groundwater lenses, streams and/or rainwater collected from roofs. These scarce resources
are vulnerable to overexploitation and contamination - particularly in atoll environments
where limited potable groundwater sources are threatened by over-pumping, land-use
activities, and inappropriate sanitation facilities. Here, efforts to achieve water andsanitation targets must consider the water cycle as a whole by utilising Integrated Water
Resource Management (IWRM) approaches from “ridge to reef” and appropriate sanitation
technologies in order to protect the longer term sustainability of fragile water resources.
4. Ensure safe drinking water in all conditions
Poor water quality, often associated with the sub-region’s frequently occurring extreme
climate events and natural hazards, contributes to disease outbreaks and to the region’s
elevated rates of child morbidity and mortality. Several Pacific island countries have alreadyidentified the importance of this issue, and are employing Drinking Water Safety Planning(DWSP) for water supplies in urban and rural areas. The DWSP approach has been ide ntified
by countries and partners as an important mechanism in ensuring the safety of drinking watersupplies across the sub-region, and will need to be an integral component of future
investments in improved water and sanitation.
5. Address the constraints of limited human and financial resources
The Pacific sub-region is generally constrained by small economies, relatively high costs ofmaterials and services, and serious challenges in developing and retaining human resources.
Meaningful progress towards water and sanitation targets will therefore require a
programmatic approach to strengthen and maintain capacity at the local, national and regional
levels. For Pacific island countries facing serious resource and capacity constraints, sustained
and focused partner support will be required to strengthen the capacity of governments,
utilities and communities to establish, manage and maintain sustainable water and sanitation
services.

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Suggested Pacific sub-region case studies
Case Study 1: Minimising drought impacts on atoll communities in Kiribati
The island of South Tarawa is home to approximately 55,000 people, comprising around half
the population of the Republic of Kiribati - an atoll country of 33 small islands spread acrosssome 3.4 million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean. Here, potabl e water supplies
depend on the sustainable management of a single shallow aquifer at the Bonriki Water
Reserve. In order to better manage this fragile water lifeline, the Government of Kiribati has
been working with regional partners to survey, model and regularly monitor the groundwater
lens, and has used this knowledge to develop a practical drought management plan that
identifies management responses at various trigger points during and in anticipation of periodsof low rainfall. The drought management plan has been designed to enable the sustainable
management of the lens throughout all conditions, and is an important tool in supporting
national efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change and population growth. In the spiritof Pacific regionalism, Kiribati is now sharing this approach with other atoll nations facing
similar pressures on their potable groundwater reserves.

Figure 4: The water security of the community of South Tarawa relieson the sustainable management of a single shallow aquifer (SPC)
Case Study 2: Strengthening climate resilience with eco-sanitation in Tuvalu
The atoll nation of Tuvalu has demonstrated that innovative sanitation solutions cancontribute significantly to climate change adaptation efforts. The successful implementationof “eco-sanitation” (or composting toilets) in the capital Funafuti has demonstrated significant
reductions in sewage pollution to groundwater and coastal waters, reduction in the use of
fresh water for toilet flushing, and the generation of organic matter in a country devoid ofagriculturally productive soils. Each household that adopted this innovative waterless solution
has eliminated their sewage load to groundwater and reduced their use of fresh water by

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year. Social and design lessons learnt from this demonstration have made eco-sanitation akey part of Tuvalu’s response to climate change. Tuvalu is now a centre of regional expertiseon eco-sanitation, and in the Pacific way has been active in sharing its findings with other atollcountries struggling with the pollution impacts and water demand associated with flush toilets.

Figure 5: For the atoll nation of Tuvalu, appropriate technologies such as eco sanitation are key
to maintaining water security and minimising wastewater pollution to coastal waters (SPC)

Case Study 3: Improving emergency preparedness and response in Fiji
Fiji’s population of just over 900,000 is scattered across some 333 Pacific islands. With
increasing urbanization, informal settlements in flood plains and densely populated coastal
areas, the proportion of Fiji’s population affected by emergencies caused by flooding andcyclones is increasing. In recent years Fiji has made preparedness a priority - building capacity
to deal with disasters and provide safe and sustainable water supply and sanitation systems aswell as effective hygiene promotion. Modelled on global best practice, a cluster approach forhumanitarian response in emergencies was endorsed by the Government of Fiji following theimpacts of a major cyclone in 2012, and strengthened over subsequent years. The approach
includes the establishment of a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) cluster, ensuring better
coordination of partner efforts to deliver WASH interventions during disasters andemergencies. The WASH cluster approach was put to full use in Fiji’s response to the impactsof the record breaking Tropical Cyclone Winston that struck the nation in 2016, and was
instrumental in coordinating the suite of WASH-related interventions required during the
response and recovery phases.

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Figure 6: The Fiji WASH Cluster has been instrumental in coordinating water and sanitation
recovery efforts in the aftermath of 2016’s Tropical Cyclone Winston (SPC)

Case Study 4: Building better water governance in Nauru

Water supply and sanitation issues in Nauru are amongst the most complex and challenging in
the world. Frequent and severe droughts, increasing demand for freshwater, and pollution
threats to its limited groundwater supply put Nauru in a precarious situation. Added to this is
Nauru’s reliance on aging infrastructure and energy-intensive desalination, the challenge of
securing sustainable funding sources, and coping with the projected impacts of climatechange. These are all issues that the Government of Nauru hopes to overcome throughapplying an integrated approach to managing its scarce water resources, now given asound basis through Nauru’s endorsement of its first National Water and Sanitation Policy.
Nauru’s policy addresses priority issues over a 15 years timeframe, covering the key themesof: climate variability and change and water resource vulnerability; water quality and supply;
sanitation and environment; demand; governance; capacity; and community awareness andparticipation.

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Figure 7: The Hon President Baron Waqa addresses the 3rd Asia Pacific Water Forum on
the importance of sustainable water resource management to Nauru’s future (SPC)

Case Study 5: Achieving integrated sector reform in Samoa
Since 2005, Samoa has employed a sector wide approach to its Water and Sanitation Sector,
successfully bringing together multiple Government agencies, development partners, and key
stakeholders including the public and private sectors, NGOs and civil socie ty groups to achievecommon goals and priorities. The comprehensive sector wide programme is based on
Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) principles, on the basis that water andsanitation are “everybody’s business.” This whole-of-sector approach has been key to Samoa
achieving significant reform of its water and sanitation services, delivering efficiencies,
strengthened local capacity, and improvements in service delivery and risk reduction. Progress
is coordinated by a Water Sector Coordination Unit in accordance with periodically updated
Water for Life Sector Plans, and regularly reviewed by all stakeholders in an inclusive andtransparent manner.

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Figure 8: An IWRM approach has enabled Samoa to bring together multiple stakeholders
to tackle issues such as water resources management and flood mitigation

References
Pacific sub-region reporting draws upon: regional synthesis undertaken by the PacificCommunity (SPC), World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) summarised in the
publication, Sanitation drinking-water and health in Pacific island countries: 2015 update andfuture outlook; subsequent regional snapshot updates undertaken by UNICEF and partners;
and regional dialogue on water, sanitation and disaster reduction undertake n by the PacificCommunity and its Member countries and territories.

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