A drilling company has been confirmed to begin work to help resolve the long-standing water crisis in Gizo, Western Province.
This confirmation was made by the Minister for Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE), Derrick Manua’rii, in Parliament on Wednesday in response to a question from the Leader of Opposition, Matthew Wale.
Wale highlighted that Gizo, a key tourism hub in the country, faces a serious challenge due to its water shortage — a situation that could negatively impact tourism development.
Minister Manua’rii said a drilling company should start work on two sites in Gizo to test for water source.
Furthermore, Member of Parliament for Gizo-Kolombangara and Minister for Police, National Security and Correctional Services, Jimson Tanangada, noted that several options had been explored in the past. One such option was outsourcing water from Kolombangara, though this involves significant costs.
Tanangada explained that the current strategy focuses on identifying locations on Gizo Island with higher water tables in hopes of drilling for a local water source.
“However, initial assessments suggest that in many locations, the water table may be too low, making drilling unfeasible,” he stated.
He added that if drilling proves unsuccessful, alternative solutions such as desalination technology or importing water from neighboring islands will be considered.
According to previous assessments, Kolombangara Island remains the nearest viable source of fresh water.
Opposition Leader Wale supported the idea of desalination, stating that the key is to use affordable and reliable solar technology to power desalination units. He shared that his Aoke Langalanga constituency plans to implement similar technology to meet their freshwater needs.
The government has pledged to provide further updates as feasibility studies are completed and to outline the next steps toward securing a sustainable water supply for Gizo Town.
Photo caption: Gizo Town. Photo courtesy of Ae
By Lachlan Shyves Eddie
Solomon Star, Honiara
