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Anthonj C, Tracy JW, Fleming L, Shields KF, Tikoisuva WM, Kelly E, Thakkar MB, Cronk R, Overmars M, Bartram J. Geographical inequalities in drinking water in the Solomon Islands. Sci Total Environ 2020; 712:135241. [PMID: 31843312 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 seeks to "by 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water", which is challenging particularly in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Pacific Island Countries (PIC). We report drinking water sources and services in the Solomon Islands and examine geographical inequalities. Based on two quantitative baseline datasets of n = 1,598 rural and n = 1,068 urban households, we analyzed different drinking water variables (source type, collection time, amount, use, perceived quality, storage, treatment) and a composite index, drinking water service level. We stratified data by urban and rural areas and by province, mapped, and contextualized them. There are substantive rural-urban drinking water inequalities in the Solomon Islands. Overall, urban households are more likely to: use improved drinking water sources, need less time to collect water, collect more water, store their water more safely, treat water prior to consumption, perceive their water quality as better and have an at least basic drinking water service than rural households. There are also provincial and center-periphery inequalities in drinking water access, with more centrally located provinces using piped water supplies and more distant and remote provinces using rainwater and surface water as their primary source. There are also inter-national inequalities. Out of all PICs, the Solomon Islands have among the lowest access to basic drinking water services: 92% of urban and 55% of rural households. Of all SIDS, PICs are least serviced. This study shows that drinking water inequality is a critical issue, and highlights that all identified dimensions of inequality - rural-urban, provincial, center-periphery and inter-national - need to be explicitly recognized and addressed and included in pro-equity monitoring, policy and programming efforts by the Solomon Islands Government and stakeholders to reduce inequalities as per the Agenda 2030.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Anthonj
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
| | - J Wren Tracy
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Lisa Fleming
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Katherine F Shields
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States; Department of Geography, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Waqairapoa M Tikoisuva
- UNICEF Pacific, Fiji Development Bank Building, 360 Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji, United States
| | - Emma Kelly
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Mamita Bora Thakkar
- UNICEF Solomon Islands, ANZ Haus, Kukum Highway, Ranadi, Honiara P.O Box 1786 Solomon Islands
| | - Ryan Cronk
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Marc Overmars
- UNICEF Pacific, Fiji Development Bank Building, 360 Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji, United States
| | - Jamie Bartram
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States; School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
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Fleming L, Anthonj C, Thakkar MB, Tikoisuva WM, Manga M, Howard G, Shields KF, Kelly E, Overmars M, Bartram J. Urban and rural sanitation in the Solomon Islands: How resilient are these to extreme weather events? Sci Total Environ 2019; 683:331-340. [PMID: 31132712 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The Solomon Islands, like other small island developing states in the Pacific, face significant challenges from a changing climate, and from increasing extreme weather events, while also lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) services. In order to support planning for the implementation of national WaSH strategies and policies, this study contextualizes representative urban and rural baselines for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 ("by 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation"). We highlight specific threats to the current sanitation services under extreme weather events such as flooding and drought, both of which are commonly observed in the country, and provide suggestions for structural improvements to sanitation facilities to increase resiliency. As the first detailed nationally representative cross-sectional sanitation study in urban and rural areas in the Solomon Islands, the results of this paper inform national WaSH policy, strategic planning and programming by the Solomon Islands Government and stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Fleming
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Carmen Anthonj
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
| | | | | | - Musa Manga
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Guy Howard
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol, UK
| | - Katherine F Shields
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; Department of Geography, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Emma Kelly
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Marc Overmars
- UNICEF Pacific, Fiji Development Bank Building, Suva, Fiji
| | - Jamie Bartram
- The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
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