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Rainwater Harvesting in Papua New Guinea

Rainwater Harvesting in Papua New GuineaAccess to clean water from a tap is a luxury that many people around the world take for granted every day. However, for millions, having easy access to drinking water remains a distant luxury. Making clean water sources available is a critical global priority, driving the creation and adoption of innovative technologies to supply water. This urgency has spurred the adoption of rainwater harvesting in Papua New Guinea, a technique for collecting fresh water that has the potential to transform lives globally. This method not only provides essential water but also represents a sustainable solution to water scarcity challenges.

The State of Earth’s Water

Water, essential for human life, is a basic need for survival. Despite 71% of the Earth’s surface being covered by water, water scarcity is a present reality, not a future problem, for many worldwide. Despite the large bodies of water on Earth, a mere 3% of water on Earth is fresh water. Even more startling, is that this statistic includes water inaccessible to humans, such as fresh water in the form of glaciers, icecaps, permafrost and water trapped deep within the Earth’s layers. With all of these barriers to freshwater access, it leaves humans with around 1-1.2% of the world’s water supply to supplement drinking water.

As the global population surpasses 8 billion, the quest for sustainable water sources becomes critical. This has led to innovative solutions like rainwater harvesting, a method that collects rain for various uses, demonstrating a practical approach to addressing the freshwater challenge.

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea, a nation on Oceania’s continent, consists of a mainland and numerous islands. Its surrounding waters and significant biodiversity rank it among Earth’s most geographically diverse locations. Nearly ten million people call Papua New Guinea home, with most living in the highlands and rural areas.

Living in rural areas largely contributes to water insecurity, with estimates indicating that only 40% of Papua New Guinea’s population can access safe water sources. This percentage reflects not only the individuals lacking access to clean drinking water but also those without proper sanitation facilities.

In Papua New Guinea, women and girls usually bear the responsibility of collecting water for their families, undertaking dangerous walks across rugged terrain. They carry thirty-pound jugs of water home in scorching temperatures. Waiting for nightfall might offer cooler temperatures, but it also increases the risk of exposure to violence. Despite the grueling journey that can take hours, they must fetch water for bathing, drinking, or even hospital visits.

Rainwater Harvesting in Papua New Guinea

To address these and other problems associated with water collection, rainwater harvesting is gaining popularity. It enables people to collect rainwater, creating a freshwater source right at their homes. Additionally, rainwater harvesting benefits the environment by reducing runoff, which in turn lessens erosion and contamination of other water sources typically resulting from standard rainfall.

Rainwater harvesting is transforming life for entire communities in Papua New Guinea. Individuals or families can implement it by channeling water from their rooftops into a collection system. With most people living outside urban areas, this method significantly reduces the need to walk long distances for fresh water. It also ensures that community resources like schools and hospitals have access to clean water, allowing them to operate in a higher-quality environment.

In the settlement of Kunu, implementing a rainwater harvesting system brought water to the community and completely changed the way of life for its residents. Before this, water for bathing, drinking, cleaning or any task that required water necessitated a three-hour walk in each direction. The women and children of the settlement responsible for this task would expose themselves to not only a physically difficult journey but one filled with potential for danger and violence.

To provide clean water access within Kunu, 14 water tanks holding 9,000 liters each were placed throughout the settlement, providing people with access to water in a way they have never had before. Residents of the settlement now have the ability to access water outside of their homes, without the risk of violence or victimization, something to be celebrated around the world. Rainwater harvesting in Papua New Guinea has continued to reach other settlements and hopefully, other settlements like Kunu will eventually have access to water through this system as well.

The Future of Fresh Water Access

The success of this project on a grand scale highlights the immense potential of rainwater harvesting to transform lives not only in Papua New Guinea but globally. In places like Kunu, reliable access to water has ushered in a joyous new way of life. Families no longer worry about the safety of their daughters and mothers and clean drinking water is now seen not as a privilege but as a fundamental human right. This shift marks a significant step toward ensuring that everyone enjoys the basic necessities of life, setting a precedent for similar initiatives worldwide.

– Alexandra Straumann
Photo: Unsplash