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Research Report Assignment 1 GEO 703
Research Report Assignment 1 GEO 703
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
FIJI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
ABSTRACT
KEYWORDS
i. Water resource management
1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
“For thousands of years humans, like animals and plants, used water
without disturbing nature’s balance too much. And some people still
live in this way. But during the last two centuries, industries,
transport and population have grown so fast that they have affected
the earth’s water. Water on earth is changing. Across the world, life in
rivers, lakes and seas is being destroyed as humans cause harmful
pollution” (Grant & Haswell, 2000). Managing water resource is a
growing concern for many nations today and the fact that climate is
changing at a rapid rate will only worsen the problems surrounding
water security and supply. Recent research has already confirmed
that water scarcity affects more than forty percent of the global
population. Hence, research in this area will help to ensure that water
is managed wisely and used sustainably. Water is a basic need
essential for life but many communities in Fiji regardless of whether
rural or urban face a common threat to their water needs and that is
the shortage of supply and contamination. For years, the greater Suva
and Lautoka areas have faced water cuts and while these problems
are recurring, little have been done to educate people on water
management practices. “Water resource management is the process of
planning, developing and managing water resources, in terms of both
water quantity and quality, across all water uses. It includes the
institutions, infrastructure, incentives, and information systems that
support and guide water management.” (The World Bank Group,
2022). According to The World Bank, Fiji has one of highest per-capita
fresh water resources in East Asia and the Pacific. However, these
water resources are not evenly distributed—they are not equally
plentiful in all places, nor is water equally available at all times.
(Kumar, 2010)
There are numerous small islands in Fiji which have a very low
elevation. Surface water availability is a problem in some islands,
which rely exclusively on groundwater and may or may not attempt to
use rainwater. Rainwater harvesting using roof systems is widespread
in Fiji but the psychology of rural people may fail to consider the
possibility of extreme climate events and drought when there is
relatively abundant water for most of the time (for instance providing
small capacity storage instead of larger capacity). Some conflicts have
occurred over surface water availability. In particular, there are
conflicts between water for irrigation and water for other purposes in
one or two cases. Groundwater occurs on both the large islands and
small low-lying islands, but the groundwater issues and challenges in
these different physical environments differ. Groundwater is found in
superficial and medium-depth strata on the larger islands of Viti Levu
and Vanua Levu and some large islands, in either fractured rock or
2
sedimentary formations. Groundwater resources on small islands
such as Taveuni play a very different role. There are cases in Fiji of
islands with superficial groundwater lenses in sand beds or coral
formations, which lie on marine water and can be readily exhausted.
The fragility of superficial groundwater lenses means that they need to
be carefully managed (SOPAC, 2007). Unfortunately for the residents
of the area of survey, the only surface water they have known for
decades is water from the ocean, otherwise, there are no groundwater
sources in the area studied. The only other natural water source is
rain water.
3
supported the underground water source. (The Jet: Fiji's First
Newspaper, 2015)
4
Fig. 3 A closer view of Navaca settlement marked by the blue
boundary, (Source: Google Earth Pro)
5
but if the government ignores the outcry for providing sufficient clean
water in any rural settlement, then the country has a real genuine
problem. The government may as well deprive them of their very
existence which is unjust, a deprivation of the basic right to human
survival, denying rural communities such as Navaca the ability to live
in a clean and healthy environment, denying them sustainable goal
number three: good health and well-being as well as sustainable goal
number six: clean water and sanitation.
Over the past decade, the Fijian government budget has allocated
millions to the development of rural water supply but unfortunately
the distribution of such an allocation has been inequitable as only a
significant few have gained while a larger proportion of the Fijian
population are still challenged by water supply problems on a daily
basis especially those of Navaca Settlement in Taveuni for which this
is a chronic problem that will be discussed further in this article.
AIMS
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The aims of this research are to
find out the different water sources available to the residents of
Navaca,
examine water management practices utilized by residents to
ensure sufficient water is available to all and
evaluate the possible solutions in ensuring that water is
managed wisely and used sustainably.
OBJECTIVES
From the aims above, four objectives were derived and they are to:
Investigate the different water sources in Navaca
Document the water management practices used by the
residents
Analyse the problems faced regarding water
Research ways to manage water wisely and suggest positive
improvements in the managing of water
Find alternative water sources and management practices
METHODOLOGY/RESEARCH METHOD
7
Information for this research report was gathered using the following
research methods:
1. Primary Research
i. Questionnaire Survey
Twenty questions were formulated and distributed among
the residents of Navaca which were later collected for further
analysis and documentation. Unfortunately, only a few made
its way back for further analysis. Hence, the reason for
conducting some personal interview with a few of the
residents.
2. Secondary Research
i. Internet
The internet was used to gather information pertaining to the
research topic and this has been really helpful.
ii. Textbook
Textbook research was also carried out in the South Taveuni
School Library to help collate information relating to the
topic.
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2.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
9
According to the survey conducted, the vast majority of Navaca residents
depend solely on rain water as their main water source. While there are
other sources of ground and surface water in all parts of Fiji, residents of
Navaca have not been as fortunate as the area does not have any streams or
nearby rivers. It is located on the coast, so the only other water source for
the residents is the ocean. The following are some of the water sources that
are found in Fiji which will be discussed in comparison and in relation to
those that are available in Navaca settlement:
2.1.1 Surface water
Surface water is any body of water above ground, including streams, rivers,
lakes, wetlands, reservoirs, and creeks. The ocean, despite being saltwater,
is also considered surface water (National Geographic Society, 2022). In the
case of Navaca Settlement, the only surface water available is the ocean and
an estuary which is surrounded by mangrove swamps as can be seen in the
picture below.
i. Streams/Creek water
The water in this creek/stream is never safe for drinking primarily
because the water is brackish and also surrounding this environment
is the South Taveuni Primary and Secondary school which sometimes
pollute the nearby stream as the secondary school incinerator was
first located just beside the creek before the rubbish dump site was
moved further to the back where the school ground is but still located
beside the creek. Also, the secondary school ablution block is situated
near the creek with the back part of the building facing the creek.
Hence, due to heavy pollution, water from the creek cannot be used
for drinking but sometimes students utilize this water to wash the
school lavatories and only a few residents of Navaca settlement use
this water for washing purposes and for such cases, people have to
move further upstream beyond the secondary school rubbish dump
site to use the creek water and this only happens after prolonged
periods of rain when strong currents will wash away the pollutants in
the creek.
10
Fig. 4 A view of estuary and creek marked by the yellow boundary,
(Source: Google Earth Pro)
Fig. 5 School rubbish dump. The big trees stand on each side of the
creek. The creek runs in between. (Source: Personal Collection)
ii. Rivers
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A river is “a natural stream of water of usually considerable volume”
(Merriam-Webster, 2023). In the area of survey, Navaca, there are no
nearby rivers. However, in the Vuna district or the South of Taveuni
there are many at least five river and/or stream beds lying dry with
only sedimentary rocks which form the river and/or bed exposed and
dry and in some covered with creeping plants. According to the
respondents, these rivers only fill up during a period of very heavy
rainfall that goes on for several days. Otherwise, they are useless to
nearby residents as they are almost always dry all year round.
iv. Rainwater
One hundred percent of the residents in Navaca settlement rely or
depend on rain water on a day to day basis. Rainwater has been
itemized under surface water sources because it rains from the skies
and is collected in tanks or through other rainwater harvesting
mechanisms but there is no doubt that rain is the main source of
water supply for the residents of Navaca.
12
Groundwater is water that has infiltrated the ground to fill the spaces
between sediments and cracks in rock. Groundwater is fed by precipitation
and can resurface to replenish streams, rivers, and lakes. (National
Geographic Society, 2022). The origin, movement and existence of
groundwater depends on several factors such as slope, drainage density,
land use, geology, lineament density and geomorphology (Rajaveni, Brindha,
& Elango, 2015). The only groundwater source known in Navaca over the
years is what they call the ‘tuvu’ or submarine spring which is a freshwater
source that spurts out in the ocean, nearer to the beach during low tides.
13
Fig. 7 Submarine springs. (Moosdorf & Oehler, 2017)
In neighboring villages in the Vuna district, one can notice that areas
where submarine springs are located, locals have made a boundary
using rocks to curtain off this area locally known as “tuvu”. Cordoning
off the area where a spring is found is usually done for washing
purposes during low tide and to prevent children and others from
contaminating this freshwater source. A similar method is presented
in the picture below.
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According to interview and the questionnaire survey, the following are some
of the problems in regards to water use and consumption in Navaca
Settlement faced by one hundred percent of the population:
2.2.1 Absence of a constant water supply – this is a major problem for the
residents since there are no consistent freshwater sources from dams or
reservoirs to ensure that daily water needs are met.
2.2.2 Delay in supply from water carts – the government through Water
Authority of Fiji have a system in place whereby families that need water
can call a toll-free number 1507 or 1508 depending on their area to ask for
assistance in carting freshwater to their area to fill up their tanks after
which a request number is given and followed through by water cart truck
drivers. Although this initiative has worked over the years, the major
problem is that the delivery is always delayed as water carts have a larger
area to cover and cater for, there are not many trucks and sometimes there
is confusion on the location as Navaca is a scattered settlement where the
houses are far apart whereby drivers face the problem of having to enquire
neighbors and other residents on the exact location of the person who made
the request. Also, sometimes water cart drivers encounter people along the
way who may not have made the call to request for water through the
system but still beg drivers for water and under humanitarian grounds, the
drivers are forced to give and when they finally reach their destination they
are unable to fill up the tanks to their maximum capacity as water has been
shared along the way or in the same area. These leaves many of the
residents disappointed but they accept the reality later on as they know
everyone in Navaca and the south of Taveuni suffer the same chronic
problem which is water shortage.
15
Fig. 9 (Source: Personal Collection)
2.2.4 High chlorine content – water supplied by the water cart or even from the
desalination plant sometimes present a very odd white color with a strong
16
smell of chlorine almost like Janola bleach according to the respondents.
This prevents them from being able to drink or use said water to make tea
as the taste is unpleasant and sometimes unbearable. Chlorine is added
to disinfect water and make it safe for drinking but too much chlorine can
lead to unpleasant taste and smell which some people are not able to
tolerate especially those in rural areas.
2.2.5 High salinity – water from the desalination plant which the Navaca
residents also rely on always have some salt content present in it which
makes it unsuitable and unsafe for drinking. Also, because of its’ location
nearer to the sea during periods of strong winds and heavy rain like in a
cyclone or tropical storm, residents have to cover their tanks so as to
prevent strong winds blowing from the sea from carrying salinized
particles of water into their tanks and contaminating stored water, thus
making it unsuitable for drinking.
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Analysis of Water Storage Units in Navaca Settlement
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
tanks drums both neither
18
Fig. 11 Water tanks in Navaca area (Source: Personal Collection)
19
Residents of Navaca and the Vuna district in the South of Taveuni were
fortunate recipient of this government initiative which cost around 2.5
million dollars. Work on the three desalination plants in Navaca settlement
began in 2014 and the plant was officially opened in 2015 by the then Prime
Minister, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama. This initiative was supposed to
benefit close to 2000 people in the south of Taveuni (Shamim, 2015).
Running the plant has not been easy and according to local residents of
Navaca, there have been many problems encountered over the years with
water from the plant and other technical and mechanical problems with the
desalination plant itself.
20
Through information gathered from the questionnaire survey, the following
data was recorded.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
drinking cooking only washing clothes toilet use washing pots & bathing
pans
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cannot think of when questioned about problems with the desalination
plant”. From the survey conducted, the following are some of the problems
that residents have complained about regarding the desalination plant and
the water that it provides. Attempts to question those who actually work at
the plant were futile as there are at least two security officers currently
working at the plant and one that I wished to interview has just begun
working there and said that he did not know much about the operation of
the machines and that I needed to talk to his co-worker who despite several
visits to the area, I never met and due to the time constraints, I documented
a report based on my findings from the questionnaire survey, personal
interview and field survey.
Foremost, according to the residents, the delay in servicing is the root
cause of the technical faults that happen every now and then which
leads to a temporary shutdown of water supply for several days,
sometimes weeks and even months.
Hon. Jone Usamate: “At the Desalination Plant, we have seen the
difficulties that WAF has in here and one of the major difficulties
seems to be the issue of dust which comes into the plant and
hopefully we can come up with a solution to prevent the dust coming
in so that the plant can be working continuously and Water Authority
of Fiji will have to make sure to make it work consistently.” (Water
Authority of Fiji, 2021)
Water is not the right mix or balanced, generally salty and at most
times having high chlorine content
22
Residents of Navaca have been facing water problems for more than a
decade. Seventy-four-year-old, Usenia Lawavou one of the
respondents to the questionnaire survey alleged that she has been
facing water problems in Navaca ever since the day she settled there
after marriage. Many of the civil servants at the school compound who
have stayed in Navaca for more than seven years have also claimed
that water has always been an issue but that staying in the southern
end of Taveuni has taught many lessons on water management
practices over the years, some of which are provided in the graph
below according to the responses from the questionnaire survey.
(Questionnaire Survey)
Over the years, residents of Navaca have mastered the art of saving water or
using water wisely, the first being turning off taps when not in use. This has
trickled down to even the younger generations where five-year-old children
have a habit of closing taps as they have been conditioned to such acts due
to the constant water shortages they have witnessed and experienced in
their short lives. Another method of conserving water is by taking short
showers instead of bathing or cutting long showers short. This is practiced
in every household whereby according to observation, many have adapted to
using only one bucket of water for bathing. Many of the respondents have
also unanimously agreed that having storage containers is the best way to
save water or store water for the long run especially when it rains. Other
(20%) respondents mentioned that their only choice is to bath in the sea and
this comes from the oldest respondent to my questionnaire survey, 74-year-
old Mrs. Lawavou who mentioned that after bathing in the sea, they use
only one small bowl or basin of freshwater at home to rinse of some salinity
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from their body before changing into their dry clothes. A few of the
respondents have also mentioned that water can be used wisely by bathing
only once a day, washing clothes in the washing machines instead of
running taps, reusing rinsing water to flush the toilets or for scrubbing
floors, etc. Finally, using water reservedly is also one way to manage water
use in the area so that enough is available for the long run. Other water
management practices include:
Turn off water when brushing teeth or shaving
Recycle indoor water to use on plants
Drink water from jugs, cups or bottles and not directly from the tap
Don’t keep water running while washing clothes and utensils
Close taps properly and fix leaking taps
Harvest rainwater as much as possible
Hence, while the above water management practices are practical solutions
for the residents of Navaca, people still face water problems on a daily basis
especially when there are communal gatherings which are usually
unaccounted for like funerals, weddings, birthdays.
24
When conducting the survey, one of the main aims was to gather enough
information from the residents on what hopes they held regarding the future
of water supply in Navaca settlement.
The vast majority had hopes that:
Government will supply clean, proper and safe drinking water
Government will provide a sustainable (clean, safe) water supply for
the community
To have constant piped water supply from WAF even if it’s from the
desalination plant
To have water in their pipes every day
To be provided enough tanks with larger storage capacity to collect
rainwater as Navaca receives a lot of rain annually.
According to an article on Fiji Sun Online, the desalination plant is a
temporary measure and that the area had received water supply from a bore
hole in Waimaqera once which the government and Water Authority of Fiji
are trying to get back to operate (Vula, 2015) and this has definitely taken
years, now almost a decade.
Hence, the future looks bleak for the residents of Navaca if nothing is done
soon to ensure that residents are provided a constant water supply system
or at least enough storage containers and new guttering for rainwater
harvest.
2.7 Recommendations
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Looking at the water woes in Navaca area, the following is recommended:
people need to unite and form a committee that holds the sole
responsibility of monitoring water supply, storage, use and problems
in the area
this committee shall also be responsible for looking for donors to
provide water storage containers for extended families and those that
are in need like the elderly or disadvantaged groups
also, residents need to lodge a formal request unanimously to the
Mineral Resources Department to survey the area for a possible
aquifer where they can draw groundwater from.
3.0 CONCLUSION
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Water is a basic need that humans cannot live without. Although Fiji sits in
the Pacific Ocean, the largest body of water on earth, that makes it no
exception when it comes to water woes. Water is a key factor for the
development of any area. However, it is not distributed evenly around the
world and people use water differently depending on where they live. Water
problems have plagued our lives for years. Regardless of our geographical
location and however limited the resources we may have; all humans alike
will strive towards having access to constant water supply. All communities
in Fiji deserve a safe and constant water supply system. Navaca is no
different, and should not be disregarded because of its remote rural
maritime location. Decision makers and stakeholders who have for
themselves seen the plight of Navaca residents over the years need to
include these residents in the decision-making process in order to ensure
that a sustainable water supply system is achieved for this rural community
that has suffered for many years.
Drawing from the survey conducted, in Navaca Settlement, water from the
desalination plant has eased water needs of the residents of Navaca in terms
of supplying water for other uses apart from drinking and cooking. However,
there are a few side effects of its use and still some problems encountered
along the way. While Navaca residents have utilized proper water
management practices which are practical solutions for the residents of
Navaca, people still face water problems on a daily basis especially when
there are communal gatherings, functions and ceremonies or even
unannounced and unexpected visits from extended family members. Thus,
solving water problems will help to minimize other social and health impacts
of water cuts or water problems in Navaca area.
Therefore, the future still looks bleak for the residents of Navaca if nothing
is done soon to ensure that residents are provided a constant water supply
system or at least enough storage containers and new guttering for
rainwater harvest. But, there is hope yet, however, solving water problems
requires the combined efforts of governing bodies and the people in order to
ensure that supply is sufficient, managed wisely and used sustainably.
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4.0 REFERENCES
1. Grant, P., & Haswell, A. (2000). How we use and abuse our planet:
Water. North Mankato: Thameside Press.
10. Rajaveni, S. P., Brindha, K., & Elango, L. (2015). Geological and
geomorphological controls on groundwater occurrence in a hard rock
region. Chennai: Applied Water Science.
28
13. SOPAC. (2007). Intergrated Water resources Management
Programme Diagnostic Report. Suva: South Pacific Applied Geoscience
Commission.
15. The Jet: Fiji's First Newspaper. (2015, August 28). Desalination
Plant set to Restart in September. Nadi: The Jet.
19. Wall, L. (2020, February 27). Dry River Bed. Retrieved from
Alamy Stock Photo: https://www.alamy.com/dry-river-bed-
image345388356.html?
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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APPENDIX I
Questionnaire Survey
Research Topic: Managing Water Resource in Navaca
Settlement – South Taveuni
Name
Age
Occupation
Ethnicity
Religion
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5. How often do you face water problems?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Yes
No
Explain:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
10.Is water treated before use? If yes, then who and what is
used for water treatment?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Yes
No
15. What are some of the problems you face regarding water
from the desalination plant?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Tick or Cross
and give
reasons
Uses of water Reasons
Drinking
Cooking only
Washing clothes
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Toilet use
Washing pots
and pans
Bathing
17. What is your hope for the future regarding water supply in
your area?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Ye
s
No
20.How are the methods you have explained above working for
you, are they effective, how much water are you able to save
using the above practices[you can discuss how many more
days of water supply are you able to save using proper
management practices]?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
34
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Thank You for your Time!!!
Appendix II
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