Seminar held to inaugurate $10 million project to provide safe drinking water to Maldivian communities

The Ministry of Housing and Environment, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), yesterday inaugurated a seminar to launch the project to increase climate resilience of Maldivian islands through a water management programme which will deliver climate-smart freshwater solutions to vulnerable communities.

This project will implement Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) systems on the densely populated islands of Haa Alif Ihavandhoo, Alif Dhaal Mahibadhoo and Gaafu Dhaal Gadhdhoo. Financial support for the project came from the Adaptation Fund under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The project will be implemented jointly by the Government, UNDP and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

Water is scarce in the islands due to climate change-linked decline of freshwater resources, and inhabited islands in the country often do not have a functioning water supply and distribution network that can ensure sufficient supply of safe freshwater during dry periods.

“This project will provide affordable clean drinking water to more than 6,200 people in 1,264 families. By funding adaption activities that produce concrete outputs, our joint aim is to empower climate vulnerable countries like Maldives to become resilient to the adverse effects, while preserving the Maldivian way of life,” said Mr. Andrew Cox, UNDP Resident Representative.

The project will ensure that measures responding to climate change-related risks such as greater rainfall variability, unreliable recharge of aquifers, longer dry periods, and increasing damage to infrastructure from extreme weather events, are addressed in concert with the response to basic development problems.

Reinforcing the message that the Government’s quest to safeguard the country against climate change will continue, the Minister of Housing and Environment, Dr. Mohamed Muiz, said that in addition to setting up a system that the people want, the project will create awareness and build capacities on the islands to deal with the issue of water scarcity, and create a network that will connect nearby communities in need.

Speaking at the seminar launch, Gadhdhoo Island Councillor, Mr. Mohamed Rizan, acknowledged the initiative as being much needed for communities, and requested for consultations with the people to continue throughout the project. The seminar provided information on the project, presented conceptual designs and provided the opportunity for initial feedback and discussion between the respective atoll and island councillors, technical officers from the Ministry’s relevant departments, regulatory agencies and utility operators in the regions.

The project will provide a compound solution to a number of critical climate and non-climate- related problems, and will be a suitable model for replication on other islands with similar vulnerabilities. The project aims to pave the way for the enforcement of climate resilient freshwater management systems on all inhabited islands in the country.