ALM UNDP

Summary:

 This project will focus on the area encompassing seven villages of the Gagaemauga III district. The Gagaemauga III District is located on the northern most point of the island of Savaii comprises seven coastal villages with a population of 1,640 people. In all villages, the majority of residents are largely sustained by plantation work and fishing, though there are a few shops and some limited ecotourism development. The villages are connected with the rest of the island and with vital services via the main road, which is entirely within the coastal erosion and flood hazard zone areas. Primary services such as water, power and telephone generally follow the main road. In the event of a cyclone or other coastal emergency, all services along the main road could be affected. Inland from the coast, individual villages access roads are now being settled by families moving from the coastal hazard zones. Along the four work roads, houses, plantations, schools and agricultural activities dominate the area. They are located on both sides of the work road except along the main sealed 8m wide Avao/Vaipouli work road, which is bordered to the west by a steep gully. Four of the five access roads behind the villages cross swamps and estuaries, these roads often flood and are impassable during floods, cyclones or heavy rainfall. The access roads do not have formed drainage systems or proper drain pipes when crossing the wetland areas, thus always breaks during heavy rainfalls or flooding and cyclones. This blocks any access to the coastal main road for people now living inland. A dam, located inland adjacent to Vaipouli college is the main source of water supply for the district, although along most work roads there is limited reticulated water supply. The district water supply is owned and managed by the district with annual fees of $5.00 per family contributing for the maintenance of the water supply. Most inland families rely on water tanks. The reticulated system has decaying and exposed pipes, resulting in a contaminated and irregular water supply. Several coastal fresh water springs exist in the district especially within the wetland areas, and are used for both drinking water and bathing when the water distribution network breaks down or damaged during heavy rainfall and cyclones.

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