Rainwater harvesting augmentation of domestic water supply in Honiara, Solomon Islands

Nicholas Quigley*, Sara G. Beavis, Ian White

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    12 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Secure and sanitary water supply is essential for human health and well-being. The challenges in meeting this demand are great in Small Island Developing States where water resources may be limited due to social and environmental constraints. In Honiara, Solomon Islands, a number of factors have constrained access to fresh water including: rapid population growth and urbanisation; neglected water infrastructure; the ethnic tensions; water tariff increases of 170% in the past 3 years; sole reliance on groundwater; and poor supporting electrical infrastructure. Within this context, the case for using rainwater tanks as either a predominant source or for augmentation of existing domestic water supply has been explored. The effect of historical drought events on rainwater tanks has been examined. A water balance model has been developed and various household scenarios reviewed to determine the reliability of domestic rainwater tanks over a 28-year period. The development of this model has highlighted both opportunities and limitations in Honiara that can be used to inform decision-makers and planners in water resources management.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)65-77
    Number of pages13
    JournalAustralian Journal of Water Resources
    Volume20
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2 Jan 2016

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