Japan has granted the government of Samoa US$18 million (T$40million) for a “safe and stable water supply for residents of urban villages.”
The money was granted during a signing ceremony between the two governments in Apia, yesterday.
The Minister of Wor k s , Transport and Infrastructure, Manu’alesagalala Enokati Posala, represented Samoa while the Ambassador of Japan to Samoa, Kazumasa Shibuta, signed on behalf of Japan.
At the heart of the signing are two Japan-funded projects that will be implemented by Samoa Water Authority (S.W.A.) and Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (J.I.C.A.) this year.
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One is funded under Japan’s Grant Assistance scheme, the other under Japan’s Technical Cooperation scheme.
The aim of both projects is to enhance the technical capacities of local engineers and improve the quality of water supplied from newly constructed water treatment plants in urban Apia and the existing Alaoa Treatment Plant.
Called the Urban Untreated Water Supply From front page Possible cyclone to be named Kofi Schemes Rehabilitation Project, the project has a five-year timeframe.
Ambassador Shibuta says Japan is committed to assisting Samoa in various areas as far as development is concerned.
Samoa identified “safe water supply” as a priority target in its national development plan, the Samoa Development Strategy (S.D.S) 2012 – 2016.
“The Government of Japan is pleased to support the implementation of these projects because they will provide improved water quality to a large number of people living around the Central Business District of Apia,” said Ambassador Shibuta.
“Water is essential to life so it is important that projects like this are implemented to provide necessary measures to ensure that limited water resources are properly managed and maintained.”
In addition, this project will provide upgrades for water intake facilities, transmission pipelines, distribution pipelines and the installation of water meters.
Biological water purification systems which have proven to be a huge success in Japan for supplying safe and stable water will also be applied to selected local water treatment plants.
This cost saving system is a disaster resilient structure which utilizes gravity to purify water without using electricity.
The record of discussion for the second project funded under Japan’s Technical Cooperation was also signed by Acting General Manager of S.W.A, Tauiliili Ekiumeni Fauolo, and Chief Representative of the J.I.C.A Fiji Office, Shumon Yoshiara.
The technical cooperation project will also be implemented over the next five years and will greatly improve water supply sourced from the Alaoa supply zone which caters to about 45,000 people living in and around Apia.
Currently, a significant amount of water leakages occur at Alaoa mainly due to old pipelines and inappropriate water pressure. J.I.C.A experts will provide technical training for local engineers to enhance their capacity to detect and repair leakages and to improve water distribution management.
Both projects will be administered by the Samoa Water Authority with assistance from J.I.C.A.
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