MR NATUVA - WORKSHOP ON LOW COST SEWAGE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR RURAL AND SANITATION SCHEMES

15/04/2014


HONORABLE TIMOCI LESIKIVATUKOULA NATUVA
MINISTER FOR WORKS, TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC UTILITIES
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WORKSHOP ON LOW COST SEWAGE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR RURAL AND SANITATION SCHEMES

Novotel Hotel, April 15-16, 2014
Lami 0930HRS


Salutations

• Resource Persons Korean Environment Corporation (KECO)
• Participants
• Ladies and Gentlemen.


Ni sa bula vinaka and a very good morning to you All.

I am delighted to be able to join you this morning and to address you at this final workshop on “Low Cost Sewerage Treatment Technologies for Rural Water and Sanitation Schemes”.

At the outset, I wish to express Fiji Government’s gratitude to the Republic of Korea, for the implementation of this pilot project in Fiji, which is funded by the Korean Environment Corporation to the tune of US$3,800 which is equivalent to over F$7,000.

The organization of this workshop was a result of the close collaboration with the Korean Environment Corporation (KECO) and my Ministry’s Department of Water and Sewerage as part of a signed Research Contract Agreement on the 17th of December, 2013. KECO has been conducting research and training here in Fiji since December 16-19, 2013 to date. I understand that this workshop is specifically targeting 40 participants of key stakeholders’ locally who are involved directly in the operation and maintenance of water and wastewater systems and the close monitoring of its effects to the environment.

Towards this end, I would like to acknowledge the Korean Environment Corporation (KECO) for the opportunity in collaborating with my Ministry in conducting research on a newly improved Sanitation Technology called Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR). This technology should develop a Low Cost and Environmentally friendly treatment for sewerage systems in Fiji which has been researched, trialed and applied successfully in Korea.

The introduction of this new technological system in the treatment of Waste Water in Fiji under this Seoul Initiative could reduce the threat of pollution to our water source, and environment and thus improve the health standard of living for our Rural and Urban dwellers.

Further, I also understand that this project is designed for capacity building of local staff in the areas of research and training on water and sewerage technology that is aimed to support Green Growth in Fiji that is critical for our country sustainable development.

I must therefore applaud this initiative by the Korean Government to spread the gospel of Green Growth to Fiji and the Pacific region to support our sustainable development especially for our Small Island States.

At this juncture, I would also like to take this opportunity to share with you today that the development of sewerage system in Fiji began with basic sedimentation in the Central Business District area in Suva from1901 to 1939. In 1940 the Sedimentation tanks were removed and sewage was discharged to the storm water drains emptying into the sea outfalls and this continued till the early 1970’s. During this time Suva was administrated by an elected Town Board with the inclusion of three officially nominated members.

The first proper sewage plant was built for Raiwaqa Housing from 1955 to 1969.In 1969 institutional sewerage plants were built at ACS and Deuba and are in operation to-date. Kinoya Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) was commissioned in 1974 and the greater Suva area got connected to Kinoya STP while some still remain with septic tanks to this day. Similarly after 1974 the other towns and cities started to have their own system of sewerage connection and discharge.

In the late 1990s the Raiwaqa STP was decommissioned and the sewer system was diverted to Kinoya STP. However in the rural areas the sanitation facilities have been improving from Pit-Latrines to Water Seal and septic tanks.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as we are all aware, Fiji and the Small Island States in the Pacific region are now becoming more vulnerable to natural disasters like tropical cyclones, severe flooding and tsunamis lately due to climate change phenomenon, that is creating havoc to many world economies at present. Recent cases include heavy winter snow in European countries like Germany, France and Switzerland, heavy rain and flooding in dry areas of Australia and severe monsoon flooding in India and Bangladesh. Near to us, severe flooding in Solomon Island resulted in hundreds of people dying from tropical cyclone Ita. Here at home, recent flooding caused severe destruction to road and house infrastructures in the Western division in 2012.

In order to mitigate against these natural disasters, more effort by national Governments, development partners and industry stakeholders should be directed towards building capacity on Green Growth Framework that can effectively protect our fragile environment while at the same time facilitating our sustainable development as a nation and people of the Pacific.

This Green Growth Framework should also be able to provide the Roadmap for countries to search and implement clean, cheap and affordable alternative energy sources that can reduce and minimize use of imported fossil fuels that causes global warming from environmental pollutions and emissions of green house gases to the atmosphere that is quite harmful to our people and communities.

To tackle this issue of global warming that is causing panic to Pacific communities because of rising of sea level, Pacific island countries in the region should adopt and implement Green Growth Framework to support their sustainable development.

Fiji is taking a lead role in this area by formulating and implementing its new Green Growth Framework. This Green Growth Framework is based on ten thematic areas and key pillars. They are:

1. Building Resilience to Climate Change and Disasters,
2. Waste Management,
3. Sustainable Island and Ocean Resources,
4. Energy Security,
5. Sustainable Transportation,
6. Inclusive Social Development,
7. Technology Innovation, Diffusion and Development,
8. Greening Tourisms and Manufacturing Industries,
9. Food Security, and
10. Freshwater Resources and Sanitation Management.

As evident, we can see that the Green Growth Initiative by the Korean Environment Corporation that will be discussed at this workshop harmonizes very well with five key pillars of the Fiji Government Green Growth Framework especially in the areas of waste management, freshwater resources and sanitation management, technology innovations, development, energy security and building resilience to climate change.

Therefore, this workshop on “Low Cost Sewerage Treatment Technologies for Rural Water and Sanitation Schemes” project, conducted by KECO here today is quite timely and appropriate to build capacity in this area for our local staff and resources people, to learn from and build on it to strengthen technical capacity in their area of expertise.

I hope that discussions, research and information sharing and networking and lessons learnt that will be generated by this Workshop shall be put to productive use by the participants at the end of this workshop.

On that note and with those few words, I am happy to declare this Workshop OPEN and wish you All great success in your deliberations.

Vinaka Vakalevu.

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