CI Times Weekly | Current Issue 254 | 09 June 2008

$47 million to upgrade water supply

Worried about the cost of building the new indoor sports stadium and of servicing the $13 million loan from the Chinese? That’s peanuts and just a minor headache compared to the $47 million it’s going to cost to upgrade and maintain our water systems and that doesn’t include the cost of the yearly maintenance.
Under the national infrastructure master plan for the water sector the projects identified as required to upgrade the water supply system on Rarotonga and the outer islands over the next 20 years have been divided into short term (within the next 3 years), ongoing, medium term (years 5-10)and long-term (years 10-20).
The capital expenditure requirements to build all of the identified projects were estimated to be $47.3 million over 20 years, with about $10.7 million needed to fund the short term projects, $14.10 million for Medium Term projects and $22.50 for Long Term projects.
The current demand for water is around 4,900 cubic metres per day including water losses (Preventative Infrastructure Master Plan report).
Water quality is not measured systematically and so available data comprises spot measurements and qualitative observations. Water is generally of acceptable quality for a raw water source, although turbidity spikes are a problem during intense or extended rainfall periods. All sources are bacteriologically contaminated and therefore the raw water is unsafe for potable use without disinfection. Consequently, people either boil the water or buy bottled water for potable use. Diarrhea and water-borne diseases are noticeable on Rarotonga.
There is no with no treatment of the raw water apart from a coarse gravel filter screen at all of the intakes except for the Tupapa intake which also includes an Arkal fine filter. There are no elevated storages for security of supply purposes. Filtered water is fed into the distribution system via gravity transmission pipelines ranging in size from 150 mm to 250 mm in diameter. The pre-1992 mains are of asbestos cement while those constructed after 1992 are of UPVC.
The distribution system comprises a two 32 km long ring mains around the island and over 180 km of secondary and tertiary reticulation pipelines. The ring mains vary in size from 150 mm to 250 diameter and are of asbestos cement, galvanized steel or UPVC construction. The secondary and tertiary pipelines range in size from 25 mm to 80mm in diameter and are mostly of galvanized mild steel.
There is only one storage in the system, at Takuvaine, which comprises a 450 Cubic metre and a 2,500 cubic metre tanks. In addition there are three other storages that have been taken out of commission; one of these, the 450 cubic metre Hospital Reservoir is used by nearby residents to capture roof runoff from the hospital; the 450 cubic metre tank at Papua and the 10,000 cubic metre storage at Akaoa. These provide barely adequate reserve water for emergency use such as fire fighting. The combined capacities are inadequate for storage for supply during extended periods of no rainfall. The need for additional storages and capacities must be investigated as part of the upgrade of the entire system.
The ring main serves to even out pressures, however during peak demand conditions pressures are generally low on the northwest of the island, in the Arorangi- Nikao area. Effectively, all households on Rarotonga (MOW advised in excess of 99%) have access to clean water. The only exceptions are those living at higher elevations which cannot be supplied by gravity. The town reticulated water system is also used for agricultural purposes. Households that are not connected to the central system rely on rainwater capture and on-site storage tanks as their source of supply, which is augmented by purchasing and carting in water from the town network during extended dry periods.
Many of the pipes are old and heavily corroded and therefore require replacement. Although MOW estimates indicate water loss in excess of 70%, neither the sources nor consumers are metered so water losses cannot be determined with any reliability. Without reducing these high losses, there is little benefit in providing head works improvements as most of the water would drain away long before reaching the users. A realistic or acceptable level for water loss is 15% to 20% of production therefore loss reduction must be a priority action for MOW.
MOW has replaced about 70% of the secondary and tertiary pipes in the distribution network. The remainder is scheduled for replacement over the next three years. This would leave only the ring main for replacement. The renovation of the distribution network should result in significant reduction in water losses due to leakage in the pipelines.
As water is provided free of charge, connections are not metered, Hence there is no reliable data on per capita water use. The only available figures are those obtained from past studies which may have included some limited water use measurements for various user categories. This is highlighted by the fact that the estimates for per capita water use on Rarotonga vary from180 Litres/capita per day (MOW internal reports and verbal advice) to 460 Litres/capita per day (Brockman Tym study ADB TA 3085). With such a wide range for one of the most important and basic parameters makes planning of system upgrades very difficult.
Investment and Financial Sustainability
In absence of a formal development strategy or master plan, system improvements are carried out on somewhat of an ad hoc basis with almost total focus on just replacing the distribution network. This is inefficient. The situation is made worse by the modest budgets received from the government for both capital and operational costs. Capital budget allocations over the period 1998 to 2004 averaged around $800,000 per annum.
Annual operation and administration allocations to the Water Supply Department of MOW is around $0.50 million of which some $0.40 million is for administration purposes. This leaves only $0.10 million annually for operation and maintenance; much too small for proper asset management.
Tariffs are not applied and there is a strong resistance to introducing user charges both from the government, public sector and the community. While the water may be free, as it is commonly cited in the Cook Islands, the government’s investment in the delivery assets (pipes and intakes) is significant as is the annual recurring cost of operation and maintenance. Without sufficient funds the system cannot be maintained adequately. In fact people are paying for their water now.
The government’s investment in water through the annual capital and operational budgets is equivalent to about $200 per household per year on average.
This is equivalent to about $17/month per household for clean water being piped into houses for non-potable use (excluding the cost of water losses in system). This sum is paid through the general taxes. Households typically use bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes. Assuming three 15-liter bottles per household per week, households pay about $84/for potable water. Therefore, the actual cost of water for a typical Rarotongan household is about $100/month. This is equivalent to $3.60/m3.
The above suggests that if tariffs for potable quality water supply could be delivered to households for less than this amount, it would actually be cheaper for users to pay for the service and at the same time have the convenience of drinking water on tap. A separate “visible” charge for water would also encourage reduction of wastage through repair of leaking taps and pipes, and would prompt agriculture users to find alternative sources of supply to being connected to the reticulation system.

Headlines : Times 254 09 June 2008
-PM wraps up in Rome – heads for home
-Report card on Takitumu Lagoon Day
- Aere ra, Krystina
-Former boxers invited to provide support
-$47 million to upgrade water supply

Headlines : Times 253 02 June 2008
-Saving Aitutaki
-Tepaki Group committed to Maeva Nui sponsorship
- Takitumu Lagoon Day will show what you can do to help
-Tropikana-a sweet inspiration
-Landowner opposes Taakoka Villas application for reinstatement

Headlines : Times 250 12 May 2008
-High Court ruling will decide if Company can compete with Telecom
-HTTC students get a taste for the good life
- Cook Islands Community Services of Victoria Incorporated launched in Australia
-Lagoon Field Day on 6 June 2008
-500 days to the Pacific Mini Games

Headlines : Times 249 05 May 2008
-‘Mr Bankruptcy’ seeks new partners
-The contracting out option
- Cook Islands to feature on TVNZ
-Candles in the wind
-Airport commercial spaces the other side of the story
-Aitutaki wedding for Helen Henry and Prof John Hay

Headlines : Times 239 25 February 2008
-THE NODULE SCANDAL
-Mitiaro identity recovers well
- Government team developing website
-Business Leaders told profits are green
-Award dinner for Woman of the Month for February
-After 5 Business Talk at Club Bana

Headlines : Times 234 21 January 2008
-“It’s not a nice day.” –Tapi Taio
-Freak storm takes Raro by surprise, causes havoc
DPM seeks inclusion in Alcatel cable network with Samoa and other Pacific nations
-Search on for promising young boxers
-Women’s activist, Lynnsay Francis on brief visit home
-SENZ education founders not sitting on their laurels

Headlines : Times 232 24 December 2007
-Response by DPM to ADB loan upgrade reveals concerns
-Tumutevarovaro Games declared a resounding success
-Italian Assists Cook Islands Climate Change Agenda
-Concept for new Te Aponga logo decided
-The woes of Pacific Engineering Standards!
-Koutu Nui visit to First Nations in Canada

Headlines : Times 231 17 December 2007
-Takitumu Basketball Gold contenders disqualified over wrong colour shorts
- Political reform: are we taking the right approach?
-Award of Contract for the Rehabilitation of Avatiu Harbour Marina
-The new face at the helm of Cook Islands Nursing
- Christmas presents from the Indian community to Creative Centre
-Former agriculture research station in Totokoitu under dispute

Headlines : Times 230 10 December 2007
-A travesty of personalities!
- Maine Tiare girls at Competition Finale at Auditorium
-What is happening at the Punanga Nui?
-Cook Islands World AIDS Day 2007
- We still owe $54.8 million
-Boxing: Club competition set for 18 December
- Youngsters urged to take up boxing
-A Cook Island experience in China Final

Headlines : Times 230 10 December 2007
-A travesty of personalities!
- Maine Tiare girls at Competition Finale at Auditorium
-What is happening at the Punanga Nui?
-Cook Islands World AIDS Day 2007
- We still owe $54.8 million
-Boxing: Club competition set for 18 December
- Youngsters urged to take up boxing
-A Cook Island experience in China Final

Headlines : Times 229 03 December 2007
-Over $50,000 raised for Hosking family
- Industry ushers in new media council
-USP Pro Vice Chancellor upbeat on proposed International Campus in Totokoitu
- Forever young – the new 60s social club
- Audit Office reports busy year
-Appeal in land partition case – Privy Council only recourse after Court of Appeal decision?


Headlines : Times 228 26 November 2007
-$3,500 super nest egg disappears
- Finance Secretary continues to comment on indoor sports complex
- Manganese fever, the new gold rush
- Cook Islands given tourism destination rating of 69
- Tepaki Group host netball team
-A Cook Island experience in China Part II
- Te Mire Tarai Vaka parade

Headlines : Times 224 29 October 2007
- Asbestos to go to watery grave
- CISNOC President thankful that decision on Sports Stadium made
- Cooks NGO to commit to conference goals
- Cost of bread increases as of November 4th
- Leaders call for immediate action to protect region’s fisheries
- Rarotonga scooter club
- CICC celebrate Gospel Day with Nuku Religious Pageants
- Letter to the Editor: Health Ministry recruitment process
- Boxing Association begins promotion
- Auckland East Win Roller Mills
- Party to celebrate opening of new Ocean & Earth store at Turtles
- Oasis Hydroponics set to expand

Headlines : Times 223 22 October 2007
- Fiji, RAMSI, Pacific Plan main issues for PM at Leaders meeting in Tonga
- Takuvaine bridges in need of attention
- Man remanded back in custody
- Clemency celebrates her Masters in Health Practice & Nursing
- Commemoration of Te Rua-o-Te-Tonga Meeting House
- Ten minutes with Krystina Kauvai
- Blue Light Day at Te Atukura ready for Saturday night
- Koutu Nui to attend Climate Change meeting
- Days away from the biggest Conservation Conference for the Pacific
- Conservation Conference casts a wide information net

Headlines : Times 222 15 October 2007
- The CPU saga- Lets get back to the central issue-Cowan
- Delay in Police investigation into Rakahanga case
- Government has lost its focus-Marsters
- Pacific countries discuss Tuna Fishing Management Options for region
- Graduation ceremony for Midwifery Graduates at Public Health
- Public Health conduct October Tutaka to fight dengue
- 2008 Pacific Year of the Reef
- Experts help to develop policies

Headlines : Times 221 08 October 2007
- The CPU saga-the other side of the story
- British Crown may have a duty to Cook Islanders following 1950s A bomb tests
- Fast ferry a step closer
- Financial Secretary recommends upgrade of facilities for Mini Games
- AOG Conference in October
- Cook Islands to attend Lawn Bowls World Singles Champion of Champions
- Business Toolkits workshop opens new pathways for participants
- World Cup next for Sam Pera Jnr
- Good rankings for Sam Pera Jnr
- Power prices set to increase again

Headlines : Times 220 30 September 2007
- Manihiki medical emergency details
- Stop Press: 60kg of donated drugs dumped by Ministry
- Surveyor in beach saga explains his role
- Staff flee MFEM-why?
- Exactly what is our population and ethnic mix?
- Reception for French Naval Officers at Te Atukura
- French helicopter lands at Tereora
- Historical trip reunites families
- Woman of the Month Award
- A Letter Home
- SPREP works to combat invasive species

 
Copyright 2006 Cook Islands Herald online . All rights reserved.