Vanuatu’s Eton Community gets access to clean water

A little over 1000 people in the Eton community on Vanuatu’s Efate island can now receive clean water.

The clean water project was made possible by the SHEFA Provincial Government with the support of the United Nations Development Programme.

The project was facilitated after a Memorandum of Agreement was signed last year, which approved the initiative and provided an amount of Vt6 Million to support small communities in the fight against Climate Change.

Project Planner, Jim Tabi said Eton already had a water system in place but the design was very old and required a full restoration by replacing old pipes to allow easier access to clean water.

“One of our greatest achievement is replanting 500 seedlings from various tree species, provided by the Department of Forestry, around the area to protect the water source,” he said.

“At the moment, water supply has been restored to the communities but there are other plans of extensions which will be completed by February.”

SPGC Secretary General, Morris Kaloran said the team is currently on leave for their holidays but with the great progress so far, there will be other projects supported by UNDP in the near future to address more rural communities.

The SPGC acknowledged the Rural Water Supply Department, Forestry Department and the people of Eton for their support in the success of the Eton Water project.