A call for a strong policy on water and sanitation practices has been made to mitigate Samoa's current climate crisis on the second day of the National Environment Week celebrations.

Celebrations on the second day of National Environment Week were held at the Taumeasina Island Resort on Tuesday. The event targeted students from colleges, in a bid to build their interest and enhance their abilities to take on different roles and responsibilities by various implementing agencies and other major water service providers under a program run by the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment's Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Division. 

Ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all was the key objective of the event as well as to draw the attention of the younger generation to what can be done to reduce the burden of diseases triggered by the consumption of unsafe water.

The Acting Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Water and Sanitation Coordination Division, Perise Kerslake said many water sources are becoming more polluted and climate change is making water more scarce and unpredictable as well as wreaking havoc and displacing people. 

“Safe water and sanitation are fundamental both to preventing disease and to the functioning of healthcare and education, not to mention every other aspect of society, from business and industry to agriculture and the integrity of our environment,” she said. “We need to do more to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and reduce the stresses caused by population growth and economic development. 

"Providing well-managed water and sanitary services and the facilities to practice good hygiene to our people is everyone’s problem. We targeted our students because it is from here that they’ll become more interested.

"We see it as an opportunity that can provide for the students so they will take into account that their career path is not limited, on that note, within our WASH sector we employ engineers, plumbers, hydrologists, and policymakers. Water is life and water is everyone’s responsibility and I think we can live without electricity and other means but not water”.

It has been more than 15 years since the European Union became an aid partner of the Division of Water and Wastewater, and it has also provided more than SAT$150 million in aid for water development. 

Meanwhile, Samoa continues to work on its water infrastructure as not everyone in Samoa is connected to potable and safe drinking water. In recent months, the Samoa Observer highlighted the plight of Tiapapata residents, where more than 30 families have been receiving dirty water for over two decades.

There are villages that are directly connected to streams and springs. Water is also supplied to homes by going through the process of filtration and chlorination. The Samoa Water Authority has said they have a long-term infrastructure plan and they aim to deal with all these issues.