Uripiv Island, Vanuatu
Moerk Water Solution’s installation of a solar-powered desalination plant on the remote island of Uripiv in Vanuatu was cause for celebration this month, including being reported on the local News.
Television Blong Vanuatu covered the event in their News broadcast on 7th September, reporting on the local problems with water supply and referring to Moerk Water as a “renowned Australian company”.
Moerk Water thanks the Uripiv community for their financial contribution to the project and for their wonderful hosting of the installation team, Roger Sutter from V2Life Vanuatu for making this project happen, and his team for the excellent collaboration.
ENGLISH TRANSCRIPT
DORINDA MABON:
A desalination water project – or removal of salts and ions from seawater
– has made drinking water safe and addressed the prolonged challenge faced by the Uripiv community.
People in the Uripiv community have historically suffered from inadequate access to safe water during El Nino and dry seasons. Some must either paddle or use an outboard motor to travel across the sea for long distances to the mainland just to obtain sufficient water for their basic needs.
To solve the enduring health consequences, Uripiv people have had the opportunity and ability – with help of Peace Corps volunteers – to alleviate these challenges by inviting renowned company, Moerk Water Solutions Limited, based in Australia, to install a desalination plant.
The desalination plant distinctively uses solar power to pump the seawater into the machine and converts 3000 litres per day of clean drinking water. Moerk Water Solutions Limited have brought this needed solution to a total of 800 people living on the Uripiv Island of the Vanuatu archipelago.
The community of Uripiv acknowledged German donors, the USA and Vanuatu governments for their generosity in funding the machine, that had a total cost of 3 million Vatu.
