Martha Taumata Faavae
Every family to have a water tank is a must and this is to be enforced the Minister of Women, Community and Social Development Tuitama Dr Leao Tuitama said.
This need for every family to have a water tank is getting more louder as more families are moving inland and to higher places to live as result of flooding now becoming a more common occurrence due to climate change Tuitama pointed out.
Moreover water supply is a long standing problem and it has continued to the present. Climate change has caused more problems Tuitama said.
Tuitama believes that every family can afford a water tank.
“ I know every family can afford to buy a water tank,” Tuitama said. He believes that if families can afford to provide for cultural activities and others they can also afford water tanks.
He added that everyone should be made aware of the need for water tanks and for this to be enforced in every family as the impacts of climate change are becoming more evident.
“ There are now more rainy days and flooding than sunny days. There are still problems during rainy days and during sunny days we face problems of little water.
“Water tanks are our response to this problem.”
Tuitama said water tanks are one of the issues that the Ministry of Women is raising awareness in the villages.
The villages have been advised in their plans to look into every area that would benefit everyone not only in agriculture but health and others.
“ They should include water tanks because they are important during times of natural disaster.”
Tuitama noted that there are some villages who have enforced the building of houses inland in case of a tsunami.
Many families have built houses inland where water supply reaches but they have no tanks.
“The Ministry is now advising these villages that families must have water tanks as back up and to ensure that they have water supply all the time.”
Tuitama commends organizations, churches and other non-governmental organizations which are donating water tanks to some families.