Water troubles in a Pacific atoll town

摘要: South Tarawa is a town on an isolated Pacific atoll of approximately 46,000 people, with absolute water scarcity, poor safety and consequently water-related problems. It relies shallow groundwater, contributions from rainwater tanks desalination. Due to combination factors such as small scale, limited human resources, system complexity, isolation lack financial management capacity inadequate. Sustainability groundwater resources also uncertain there are indications that has been extracted above the sustainable pumping rates. Social complexity highlighted by resistance traditional landowners attempts deal supply-side deficit through establishment new infiltration galleries. In this paper, issues relating in reviewed. This follows exploration possible strategies improve existing situation. research forms empirical building block foundation larger study, aiming at developing framework for strategic adaptive management. particular, study explores options viability co-management land scale urban areas alternative approaches.