BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The 9th Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers Forum and the 16th Pacific Water and Wastewater conference in Honiara is focused on elevating and recognising the critical importance of water.
Pitolau Lusia Seto Leau, Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said this in a radio talkback show on Sunday, August 24, ahead of this week’s conference.
“This conference is bringing water to be elevated so that leaders would pay attention and say we do have a crisis in the Pacific,” said Seto-Leau.
She said that in terms of other regions of the world, the Pacific Islands are far behind in universal access to water.
“And there’s an often-forgotten sustainable development goal 17, which is to do with collaboration, and I think when you have that coming from the top and coming from the bottom by people pushing for it to be elevated, you have a solution,” said Seto-Leau.
She said many people do not have access to water in the Pacific.
“And how do you get water to them at an affordable rate, and be able to have your utilities or operators that can provide that water to you 24-7 and with quality that is good for you, safe for you. That’s the dilemma that governments face,” she said.
Seto-Leau stressed that it should be a priority for governments to ensure that every family has universal access to water.
“It has to be the top priority of any government to say that and to provide the means for those who deliver that service, provided with the means for it, and I mean financial resources, of course, because you can’t do it without financial resources.
“If it takes that, I think it is important enough because water is life. Without water, you cannot live,” she said.
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