WATER in

FRENCH POLYNESIA

Pacific seminar SWAP water

SAMOA APIA 13 – 16 AVRIL 2010

FRENCH POLYNESIA GOVERNMENT

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What is the incidence of water related diseasesLittle cases, some cases in the rural areas. Statistics on diarrhea are not kept (better than Mexico)

Water quality - is it generally good?Some rivers are heavily polluted (often pig farming) – people are aware but children still play there. Generally the quality is good. Lagoon water quality is poor leading to dead coral and less fish. We don’t have systematic water quality monitoring

The underground resources are not known, even though a lot of the drinking water comes from the groundwater.

Spring water with public taps – chlorinated house connections (but when the chlorine machine breaks down it requires maintenance from very far away).

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Iwrm – water resources in your country

3 challenges/ issues in your country

3 steps / options in your country

Country A presents and discusses with country B – after thatCountry B presents and discusses with Country A

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1. French Polynesia : geography, population and institutions

2. Water resources3. Drinking water4. Waste water treatment5. Bathing water quality

SUMMARY

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FRENCH POLYNESIA: GEOGRAPHY

Distances from big counties :

20 000 KMS to Europe

6 000 kms to USA

6 000 kms to Australia

Surface statistics :

2,5 millions km² bigger than Europe

3500 km² of land

15 000 km² of lagoon

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FRENCH POLYNESIA: GEOGRAPHY

Society islands:

2 groups of islands « iles du vent » and « iles sous le vent »

Land area: 1521 km²

8 inhabited islands

Marquesas islands 1000 km far from Tahiti

Land area: 997 km²

6 inhabited islands

Tuamotu islands:Land area: 690 km²

78 atolls

Australes islands

Land area: 150 km²

5 inhabited islands

Rapa is the southern island, 1300 km far from Tahiti

Gambier islands:9 islands

Land area: 690 km²

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FRENCH POLYNESIA: POPULATION (1/2)Population unevenly distributed

Society islands:

Population : 214 107 inhabitants

Density : 141 ihn/km²

Marquesas islandsPopulation : 8 548 inhabitantsDensity : 8 ihn/km²

Tuamotu islands: Population : 14 761 inhabitants

Australes islandsPopulation : 6 329 inhabitantsDensity : 35 ihn/km²

Gambier islands: Population : 1 095 inhabitants

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FRENCH POLYNESIA: POPULATION (2/2)

Population distribution by archipelago

- 86 % of the polynesian population is concentrated in the Society archipelago.

- A big water supply is needed to satisfy water needs.

- Water needs are often conditionned by water ressources

- Water consumption behaviors are different between islands.

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FRENCH POLYNESIA: Institutions (1/2)

3 institutional levels:

- French government represented by a high commissioner

- French Polynesia local government

- 48 local municipalities

Society islands: 20 municipalities

Marquesas islands

6 municipalities

Tuamotu islands:

16 municipalities

Australes islands: 5 municipalities

Gambier islands: 1 municipality

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FRENCH POLYNESIA: Institutions (2/2) Water issues

France government:

- Subsidising both municipalities and French Polynesia programs

- Municipalities supervision

Municipalities:

- water supply

- Sewage and sanitation

FP government:

- Subsidising municipalities

- Financing own programs:

- rain water management

- hydrography survey

- Public health authority

- Water resource assessment

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FRENCH POLYNESIA: Water resources differences between islands

@ high islands :

- surface water,

- underground water,

- sea water / desalination (Bora Bora)@ Atolls:

- water lenses

- rainwater

- sea water / desalination

In the last ten years, undergroud water extraction has duplicated in order to produce drinking water. In the same time surface water for domestic uses has decreased.

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Drinking water production1. 60% of population drink tap water 2. But only 5 municipalities supply drinking water (26 000 inhabitants)3. In accordance with French Polynesian laws, all municipalities must

supply drinking water before 2015. 4. In the last10 years (1995_2005), access to drinking water has only

slightly increased (from 20 to 40%)

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Drinking water in French Polynesia

Drinking water consumption:Tahiti : 300 to 500 litres per person per dayTuamotu : 50 litres per person per day

Issues about drinking water:

No relation between billing and consumption

Unknown water network performance (leakages)

Local autorities not concerned enough about water ressources management

Unknown underground water ressources and uses

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Waste water treatmentprivate system

Domestic system: is private and non controled by governement. Statistics show that it’s not well maintained

Small collective systems :In the urban area : 23% of population produce waste water wich is treated by

small collective system.

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WWT governement’s priorities

1. Touristics area: (develop tourism) (1993 to nowadays)

- Bora Bora (Pacific’s Pearl) famous destination

- Punaauia urban area municipality (beaches and hostels)

- Moorea touristic area (7 kms and 75% hostels of the islands)

2- Urban areas (Nowadays to long time)

- Papeete capital

- Faa’a most inhabited municipality

But no WWT policy

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Waste water treatment Collective sanitation public program

1. 4 collective treatment stations since 19932. In the last ten years, almost 13 000

inhabitants connected (5% of population).3. Bora Bora is 100% covered since 2009

and has got famous european label « pavillon bleu »

4. Papeete urban area concentrates 50% of waste water production in FP.

5. Urban area’s program is in progress for Papeete and Faa’a

6. Moorea island is about to start operating its waste water treatment plant.

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WWT governement’s prioritiesFinancing

1. Touristics area: (1993 to nowadays)

- Bora Bora : EC, France and FP

- Punaauia urban area municipality: EC and FP

- Moorea touristic area: France and FP. In future EC (next year)

2- Urban areas (Nowadays to long time)

- Papeete capital

- Faa’a most inhabited municipality

France, PF and municipalities by the french program « contrat de projets »

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Bathing water quality survey