Kiribati is facing an urgent water crisis, with limited access to safe drinking water and sanitation placing communities at continual risk of disease. As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), safe water access in Kiribati remains critically low. WHO’s 2022 indicators show low access to safely managed drinking water, particularly in rural communities. Kiribati also faces sanitation challenges, with limited access to safely managed sanitation services in WHO’s 2022 reporting, according to the WHO. These conditions contribute directly to the spread of waterborne and sanitation-related diseases, placing vulnerable communities at heightened risk. WHO identifies unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene as public health risks. These figures highlight the need for urgent intervention to strengthen water security and reduce preventable disease exposure.

The South Tarawa Water Supply Project

Several major organizations have collaborated to address the unsafe water and sanitation issues in Kiribati. The Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the Green Climate Fund have co-financed, alongside the Kiribati government, a $92.06 million project on the island of South Tarawa, Kiribati. The primary goal is to substantially increase the population’s access to safely managed drinking water services that can withstand climate and disaster-related challenges, providing reliable, safe water access in Kiribati. Much of the investment targets infrastructure, through the construction and maintenance of two water desalination plants and new water supply networks.

In addition to infrastructure, the project aims to combat poor hygiene in the region, with new practices delivered through community programs. Education on safe sanitation practices will also be a focus, with initiatives introduced in several South Tarawa schools. Finally, the project will ensure the continued management and safeguarding of these new water sources, with it yet to outline specific activities. The first drinking water distribution system in South Tarawa, the McKenzie Desalination Plant, was commissioned and completed in 2025. However, the Betio desalination plant is delayed due to water-quality concerns, while parts of the distribution network remain under development. As a result, the project has not yet translated into widespread safe water access, with progress dependent on the completion of the remaining systems. This project operates in accordance with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank’s community safeguards, ensuring the minimization of adverse social and environmental outcomes.

Current Update – July 2026

The South Tarawa Water Supply Project provides community updates and consultations, detailing the project’s recent activities and progress. July’s update emphasized the importance of community involvement, calling for all in the community to help sustain and ensure solid maintenance of the water system. Community outreach and hygiene education are part of the project’s official objectives. Community engagement remains important to the project’s long-term operation.

The South Tarawa Water Supply Project represents a major step toward securing safe water access in Kiribati by building reliable and disaster-resilient water systems for the community. By combining the construction of new infrastructure, necessary upgrades to water supply routes, community engagement and strengthened hygiene, the initiative is establishing the systems needed to sustain safe water access in South Tarawa. Continued progress of this project is crucial to ensuring long-term improvements to public health and daily life in Kiribati.

– Xavier Stephens

Xavier is based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and focuses on Good News, Technology and Solutions, and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr