Kiribati Drought
Above: The official handover of the newly installed Solar Distillation System at Santo Iotebwa Preschool and Community in Betio, with Parish Priest Father Kanoua Iotebwa and Australian High Commissioner, H.E David Yardley, in August 2022. Photo: Australian High Commission, Kiribati
The Government of Kiribati declared a State of Emergency due to drought in June 2022.
The La Niña weather pattern and subsequent low rainfall have created acute water shortages across the low-lying atoll nation.
The drought is impacting the entire country.
Rainfall dropped to less than a quarter of 2-year historical averages in South Tarawa, which is home to around 60,000 people. This has taken a toll on rainwater storage, normally the main source of drinking water in the capital, and has increased the salinity of the fragile water lens under the Tarawa atoll to alarming levels.
Due to ongoing freshwater scarcity issues, households in the capital only receive piped water access for 1-2 hours every second day – the Public Utilities Board has had to reduce this to preserve water in the Bonriki reservoir, the only major permanent drinking water source in the capital. The reservoir is also at risk of irreversible saltwater intrusion.
Above: Installation of the first solar water distillation unit at Santo Iotebwa. Photo: ChildFund Kiribati
On outer islands, where communities largely rely on untreated well water, the impact of the drought is equally challenging.
Lack of access to clean water could have significant impacts on health, hygiene and food security.
Dry weather conditions in Kiribati are projected to continue for the duration of 2022.
The AHP Response
The Australian Government is supporting the Government of Kiribati to mitigate the impact of the drought through support for alternative water sources.
A trial of low-tech solar distillation systems on South Tarawa demonstrated that they have potential as a viable and sustainable access option for drinking water, removing the salt and bacteria from available water sources.
Above: A completed solar water distillation unit at Santo Iotebwa. Photo: Australian High Commission, Kiribati
Australian Humanitarian Partnership NGOs are supporting the Australian Government’s installation of 100 solar distillation systems, including through the provision of information and education materials in person and through social media.
This work builds on support provided during the AHP Kiribati COVID-19 response, which targeted water, sanitation and hygiene support at preschools and community centres (maneabas).
AHP partners have also been distributing hygiene kits and water storage containers, offering household water quality testing, procuring solar water purifiers, as well as transporting water directly to communities most in need.
The 12-month AHP response is being led by CARE Australia and Plan International Australia, in collaboration with their local partners ChildFund Kiribati and Live and Learn Kiribati.