Initial Draft: National Water Resources Policy for the Fiji Islands

Transcription

1 Appendix 2: Water plicy draft Initial Draft: Natinal Water Resurces Plicy fr the Fiji Islands Backgrund and scpe f plicy This plicy has been develped in recgnitin f the increasing threats and cmpeting demands fr the water resurces f the Fiji Islands. Fiji has participated in internatinal and reginal discussins abut water resurces and recgnises that water management is imprtant fr the scial wellbeing f its peple, its ecnmic develpment and the cntinuing quality f the envirnment. This plicy cvers all freshwater resurces f Fiji, bth surface water and grundwater, and acknwledges that freshwater can affect the quality f castal and marine waters. The plicy states gals and principles t guide water management in Fiji, and it identifies the mst imprtant elements f water refrm t be cnsidered in the next tw years. Water management challenges facing Fiji In general, the Fiji Islands are blessed with gd rainfall and water resurces, but the water resurces are variable they are nt equally plentiful in all places, nr is water equally available at all times. Sme areas, particularly small islands, have very limited water and sme areas are drier than thers. As well, Fiji has experienced serius drughts frm time t time. Meanwhile, the demand fr water is increasing and becming mre cmplex. Fiji is cntinuing t develp water surces t prvide water fr essential dmestic needs and water must als be available fr agricultural, cmmercial and industrial enterprises, mining and turism, t prmte the grwth f the ecnmy. Many human activities can affect the quality f water and in Fiji the grwth f ppulatin and the ecnmy is putting pressure n the quality f water resurces. Nt nly industrial waste and sewage, but ther widespread surces f pllutin can affect the quality f water and thereby damage native fisheries and aquatic life in streams and rivers. Catchment develpment, frestry, and agriculture, as well as the grwth f urban areas, can all cause the quality f water t deterirate. Grundwater can be plluted by the infiltratin f chemicals which are dispsed n the surface f the grund. Water use is already the subject f sme cnflict in sme cases. Such cnflict includes the abstractin f grundwater and activities that culd pllute imprtant grundwater reserves. There are emerging surface water use cnflicts als in

2 sme lcatins. Management mechanisms are needed t cntrl the taking f water. Water bdies need increased prtectin. Uncntrlled excavatin frm streams, rivers r grundwater bdies can cause siltatin and the release f undesirable chemical cmpunds frm the sil and rcks int the water bdy. Finally, the quality f water at the muth f the larger rivers may affect castal waters and the imprtant marine life that is s imprtant t Fiji. The need fr a water plicy The pressures n water resurces in Fiji will increase in the future in tw ways: Larger vlumes f water will be demanded fr water supply and sewerage, as new schemes are built and ld nes are upgraded, t meet natinal targets fr prviding basic water services; Grwth in industrial, energy, mining and cmmercial develpments will place greater demand n water. At the same time, the threats t water quality will increase thrugh: increasing urban develpment, mre intensive agriculture, frestry and explitatin f natural resurces in general, which can have adverse impacts n water quality; new industrial and cmmercial enterprises; and mre waste dispsal which may cause pllutin f water. Fiji needs t ensure that all the activities affecting water are managed in harmny, that there is n serius cnflict ver access t water, and that all aspects f its management are adequately cvered. In the past, there was less demand fr water and water resurces were nt cnsidered t require special legislatin r management respnsibility. Tday the situatin is changing. Fiji, like ther cuntries, needs t cnserve its water resurces fr the future. They are variable but als finite and limited. Therefre an active and cnsistent apprach t water is needed. This plicy is an early step twards that end result, alng with interim legislative changes. Gvernment respnse The Gvernment is respnding t the water challenges by embarking n a water management refrm prgram t: strengthen the water management capabilities that already exist; intrduce new water management measures where these are cnsidered necessary. A first step is the develpment f this plicy which: clearly states the Gvernment s gals fr water resurces in Fiji; prvides the principles by which water resurces shuld be managed in Fiji, and PfWG Fiji reprt f initial missin appendix 2 draft plicy 2

3 sets ut the majr steps twards creating an effective regime fr managing water resurces. Water management gals The fllwing gals shuld guide the management and use f the natin s water resurces: 1. t achieve water supply and sanitatin service bjectives (cnsistent with the Pacific Reginal Actin Plan n Sustainable Water Management 2. t ensure the sustainability f water by managing it as a renewable but finite resurce; 3. t ensure water use is as efficient as pssible and that wastefulness is minimised; 4. t allcate water t all types f use as effectively as pssible with the minimum f cnflict between water users; 5. t facilitate access t water, fr the prmtin f ecnmic develpment; 6. t maintain the quality f water in water bdies, fr beneficial uses and the envirnment; 7. t prtect water bdies frm physical damage which will harm the quantity r quality f their water; 8. t ensure the water needs f the envirnment are met, s that aquatic ecsystems are maintained; 9. t lessen the impacts f extreme events fld and drught by applying apprpriate plans and measures; 10. t ensure that freshwater utflws int castal waters d nt cause unnecessary harm t castal and marine ecsystems. Water management principles Water resurces in Fiji shuld be managed accrding t the fllwing principles: Nature f water resurces and the rle f Gvernment Freshwater resurces, bth surface water and grundwater are recgnised as critical fr human wellbeing, t prvide fr the ecnmic grwth f Fiji and t maintain the value f the natural envirnment; Water resurces are finite and water surces can be exhausted r damaged: therefre water must be managed within sustainable limits fr tday and fr future generatins, t prtect the lng term quantity and quality f water in natural water bdies; The effective management f water must be n the basis f the hydrlgic unit - meaning, fr surface water, the catchments f streams and rivers and fr grundwater the aquifer system: nly in this way will the impacts PfWG Fiji reprt f initial missin appendix 2 draft plicy 3

4 f water explitatin in any lcatin be adequately recgnised and respnded t; Surface water and grundwater are part f a unified water cycle and shuld be managed cnsistently as elements f the water resurces f Fiji; Therefre, the Gvernment must have the capacity t exercise cmprehensive management cntrl ver the flw f water and the use f water resurces. Water cnservatin and efficiency Water cnservatin is an imprtant bjective fr Fiji: therefre water use shuld be efficient and wastefulness shuld be discuraged by apprpriate incentives and measures; Opprtunities fr water reuse, recycling and research shuld be investigated and, where apprpriate, adpted and encuraged; Water use efficiency plans are needed t develp strategies fr cnserving water resurces in all sectrs. Water allcatin and pririty f use Water supply fr dmestic use shuld be given pririty in times f water scarcity; Water requirements t maintain the envirnment and its imprtant aquatic features will be investigated and where necessary prvided fr. In rder t prmte ecnmic develpment, a system f water allcatin shuld be develped t give secure water entitlements t water users wh take significant vlumes f water, and have made substantial investments in infrastructure which supprt the Fiji ecnmy. Water quality prtectin Water surces f gd quality must be prtected frm depletin and pllutin by adequate prtectin mechanisms, cnsistent with the rights and interests f thse wh may be affected. The cntrl f pint surces f pllutin f water must be applied cmprehensively t ensure that receiving waters in Fiji are prtected frm all artificial discharges, including sewage and discharges frm industry and mining. Measures fr cntrlling water quality degradatin frm nn-pint surces, such as sil ersin and catchment activities need t be strengthened. Small scale and fragile water surces (such as shallw island aquifers) which have value fr drinking and dmestic use shuld receive particular attentin fr their prtectin; The impact f rivers n the quality f castal waters shuld be recgnised and investigated and, where necessary, measures taken t prevent castal degradatin. PfWG Fiji reprt f initial missin appendix 2 draft plicy 4

5 Financial Water services shuld be as financially independent as pssible, prvided that the cst f water fr basic needs f sciety is affrdable; Thse water users wh take and use significant vlumes f water shuld cntribute t the csts f water management; Water exprted frm Fiji may be subject t ryalties. Water services Majr public water supplies are being placed n a cmmercial fting t encurage efficient management. Large public water and sanitatin schemes shuld be subject t similar water management cnditins and prtectin as private enterprises in regard t: access t water resurces, and allcatin f water entitlements t them; cntrl f their sewage r ther discharges t prevent pllutin f water bdies. Water refrm measures In rder t meet the gals and principles in this plicy, the Gvernment will initiate a series f water resurces refrms, as fllws: Water legislatin The Gvernment will investigate the requirements fr water legislatin in rder t: establish the required mechanism t allcate water which: gives water entitlements t all types f use, avids r minimises cnflict ver water access, gives water users greater certainty f access t water fr their requirements, enables sustainable levels f water explitatin t be maintained; clarify the legal status f water users and all parties that rely n water r are affected by its cnditin and use; recgnise thse benefits f water t which wners f native land shuld be entitled and ensure that they receive apprpriate value; include cverage f areas f water management nt adequately included in current legislatin; establish a judicial mechanism t reslve cnflict assciated with water allcatin and use. PfWG Fiji reprt f initial missin appendix 2 draft plicy 5

6 Institutinal strengthening The Gvernment will: establish a crdinating bdy with secretariat supprt at natinal level, t prvide cnsistent advice n water refrm and water management prblems f natinal significance; strengthen the crdinatin arrangements between water use sectrs and the varius administrative units that deal with water resurces; assign respnsibility fr water resurces management within the administratin and build up its capacity in relevant areas. Educatin and awareness The Gvernment will imprve public understanding abut the imprtance f water and dangers t its quality by develping educatin and awareness prgrams n water resurces plicy and management. Water resurces infrmatin Sund water management relies n cmprehensive and reliable infrmatin and understanding f water resurces: The Gvernment will: identify the technical infrmatin needs fr present and future water management at natinal level; ensure that respnsibility fr cllecting and maintaining water resurces infrmatin is clearly allcated t the apprpriate rganisatins. PfWG Fiji reprt f initial missin appendix 2 draft plicy 6