Climate change is profoundly affecting water resources in Fiji.
This concern was highlighted by the chief executive officer of the Rotary Club, Neil Maharaj, in a recent interview with this newspaper.
Mr Maharaj said the organisation was conducting research in 11 provinces to assess the situation.
He said many water sources established in villages over the past 35 to 40 years were now drying up.
“We need new sources where there’s more yield of water that can address the issue,” Mr Maharaj said.
“Also, what we find is that the boreholes are having lower yield compared to before.
“And people always want more water, and it’s a basic need.
“So, when they have obstacles, they will go and assess what’s the problem.”
Compounding these issues are the effects of climate change, including flooding and rising sea levels.
Mr Maharaj indicated that many older boreholes lacked flood-proofing, leading to contamination from E coli bacteria (a strong indicator of sewage or animal waste contamination) and saline water.
The contamination of groundwater is a direct consequence of rising sea levels, which poses additional challenges for communities, especially in low-lying areas.
In villages such as Navatau in Cakaudrove, constructing effective sanitation systems is becoming increasingly difficult.
“Because when you build a proper sanitation treatment system, for example, like septic tanks and a proper wastewater treatment system, there is a high water table because of sea level rise.
“You can’t build a proper treatment system because of too much water in the ground. So, these are some of the impacts that we are having.
“It’s having an impact on the quality of water and the quantity of water as well.”
High groundwater levels prevent the establishment of proper wastewater treatment systems, exacerbating public health concerns.
Mr Maharaj emphasised the dual impact of climate change on both the quantity and quality of water resources, stressing that these challenges complicate access to safe drinking water.
