BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Accessing water in homes or into a system to secure safe and clean water is not free.
Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) Board Member and Secretary Ministry of Infrastructure, Cook Islands, Elisabeth Wright said this while acknowledging that the Pacific Islands have the blessing of getting water from the sky, streams and groundwater.
Wright said accessing it in homes is another thing.
“In my context in the Cook Islands, and I’m pretty sure this also applies to our other Pacific brothers and sisters.
“In the Pacific, we often hear that water is free; it comes from the sky. That is true, we are very blessed in that we do get our water from the sky, and it comes through streams as well as groundwater that we can access.
“Unfortunately, getting that water from the source into your home or into a system that you can go and turn the tap on and get that water is not free.
“So, this is one of the challenges our governments and utilities face. The taking of that water from the source into our homes or into places where our people can access the water. That comes at a cost,” said Wright.
She said that this is one of the reasons why the ongoing 9th Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers Forum and the 16th Pacific Water and Wastewater are important.
“I guess this is one of the reasons why this conference places such emphasis on elevating the status of water in our countries. With all the competing priorities that we have, sometimes, as a person who manages access to water in my country, we are not as highly prioritised as other sectors.
“But I tell you what, when there is no water, we suddenly become a priority,” she said.
For feedback, contact:[email protected]
