A K12million pilot project that converts beach- well water into fresh drinking water, using solar power will be handed back to the people of Manus tomorrow, by the Japanese government.
This pilot project is an adaptation measure to climate change, which has seen solar powered desalination plants installed in selected atoll islands in Manus since its launch in May last year.
Manus is a maritime province with many atoll islands, where water shortage becomes an issue during the dry season.
The rise of sea level is also affecting the drinking water source of rural communities but the technology of converting water from beach wells, into fresh drinking water, using solar power can be the ultimate solution for atolls in the country.
Manus is the first to benefit from this technology, courtesy of the Japanese government and the Pacific Environment Community (PEC) Fund through the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat in Fiji.
The project was launched on May 10 last year, which saw the installation of desalination plants on Bipi, Mbuke and Whal, Nauna, Mal and Awa islands.
These solar powered desalination plants are now producing safe and clean drinking water for the atoll islands during wet and dry seasons. Each desalination plant produces 720L of fresh drinking water per day from the beach wells. It will be handed back to the Manus provincial government tomorrow by the Department of National Planning and the government of Japan.