Case study 3; Suva Fiji

Suva Fiji's water struggle

Video available on youtube:

Pacific community, (2015). Adapting to Climate Change in FSM. The Food & Water Security Dimension.. [image] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ggydf89Et0&index=16&list=PLCq-WnF3Hdrg22yE1eShnPWBZARK13wIv [Accessed 7 May 2015].

Suva is Fiji's largest settlement other than Port Moresby. Low permeability soils affect septic tanks and pit latrines. The current water management infrastructure over flows into the environment regularly and struggles to meet demands (Keen, 2003). Some problems were a lack of definition in roles of water companies and lack of resources in the Health department meaning they cannot monitor water problems. Water companies collect data but this is not accessible by the Health Department (Keen, 2003). A problem with this island like some of the previous is again property rights. Land has traditionally been divided between 87% Native land , 12% Crown land and 1% Free hold. Native land relies on leases and some villages have been built on land still owned by the previous owners. In these settlements the people do not pay rates for services and water provisions (Keen, 2003) . 

Keen, M. (2003). Integrated water management in the South Pacific: policy, institutional and socio-cultural dimensions. Water Policy, 1(1), pp.147-164.