Solomon Islands : Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban sanitation - Urban water supply

Access to safe water and improved sanitation in urban areas increased

Efficiency, accessibility, climate change and disaster resiliency, and sustainability of safe water and sanitation improved in Auki, GHA, Gizo, Munda, Noro, and Tulagi towns.

Continuous, safe, and climate resilient urban water supply ensured

Urban sanitation services are effective, efficient and safe in GHA.

Enhanced and sustained awareness and behaviors of hygiene and water conservation in GHA and five towns.

SIWA is financially and technically sustainable

Management of Honiara's drinking water source area strengthened to build resilience to climate change

Output 1:

In general, progress towards delivering the three ongoing Honiara water supply contracts (Kongulai water treatment plant and pipeline; Honiara water supply reservoirs; and Honiara water supply mains) is limited. At the end of September 2023, works on the reservoir contract was limited to site preparation (demolition of old steel reservoirs and foundation works) at the Panatina and Tasahe sites, construction of the base slab and placement of wall steel reinforcement bars at the Tasahe site, and construction of the bypass line for the Tinge site. The contract is expected to be completed in July 2024 - about 9 months later than envisaged when the contract was awarded. For the watermains contract, 1.6km of water mains have been constructed (about 15% of the overall length to be constructed); all of which are for the Panatina-Burns Creek portion of the contract. No water mains have been constructed for the Kongulai to White River / White River to Town Ground portion and the East Kola'a to Kukum portion. The Contractor targets completion of the water mains contract in February 2024 (about 3 months later than expected when the contract was signed).

Construction of the Kongulai water treatment plant and pipeline has not progressed beyond preliminary site works (excavation and sediment-erosion control measures) following a stop work order notice issued by SW in March 2023 relating to non-compliance with the Contractor's environment and safety management plans (CESMP) and absence of Contractor all-risk insurance (CAR) as required by the contract. The CESMP was approved in June 2023 and is now generally being complied; however, the Contractor has yet to provide evidence of CAR for the contract. The contract requires completion of the works and commission of the plant within 60 weeks of the contract start date (i.e., completion and commissioning by June 2023). The Contractor has requested a 12-month extension of time (EOT) to the contract milestone dates. The Contractor is also proposing significant design changes aimed at reducing their costs which if approved are likely to put the efficacy of water treatment at risk. The IA has accepted the EOT in-principle but with conditions which the Contractor has not accepted. Discussions on the extension of the contract milestone dates are ongoing.

Draft bidding documents for the Honiara water supply pipeline rehabilitation subproject have been prepared and are currently being reviewed by the IA. The subproject will replace 10km of trunk water mains and is estimated to cost US$8.9 million. The IA plans to invite bids for the subproject works in February 2024 following the approval of proposed World Bank additional financing. The Honiara water supply pipeline rehabilitation subproject is essential for reducing non-revenue water which has averaged 61% during the first 8 months of 2023.

Provincial water supply subprojects. The deadline for submission of bids for the Noro water supply subproject was 11 September 2023. One bid was received which is currently being evaluated. Draft bidding documents for the Gizo and Munda water supply subprojects have been prepared. However, further investigation to the sustainability of source water (groundwater) for the Munda water supply subproject is required. Likewise, identification of adequate and sustainable water sources for the Gizo water supply subproject is required. The draft bidding documents may require amendment based on the Munda and Gizo water source assessments. Draft safeguard documents for Gizo and Munda have been prepared but will require revision to reflect the findings of the water source assessments and subsequent amendments to the engineering designs.

Output 2: Urban sanitation.

Construction of the sewer Kukum Highway from the Ministry of Fisheries building to the Ranadi Road intersection is approximately 30% complete and is on track for completion in April 2024. Construction of the Ranadi Road intersection to the Goodwood Outfall sewer is estimated to be about 20% complete and the Contractor estimates that the Ranadi Road intersection sewer works will be completed in December 2023.

Draft bidding documents for the balance of the Honiara sewer reconfiguration subprojects (Ranadi Outfall and NRH Outfall) have been prepared but may need to be amended to address ongoing land acquisition issues. Draft resettlement plans prepared for the Ranadi Outfall and NRH Outfall subproject will also require updating accordingly. Construction of the Randi Outfall subproject is contingent on the approval of proposed additional financing. With the current project cost overrun, it is likely that the scope of the sewer reconfiguration may need to be reduced. SW has expressed a preference to proceed with the construction of the Ranadi Outfall subproject and outfall (rather than the NRH Outfall subproject) as the Ranadi Outfall subproject could service a larger number of properties than the NRH Outfall and would also enable the elimination of more than 10 existing sewer outfalls.

Output 3: Water Conservation, Sanitation and Hygiene Awareness and Education.

Substantial progress has been made in delivering 3 of the 4 components of Output 4. The Water for all component has resulted in water production by almost 2,000m3 per day through improvements to water sources at Rove, Kwaibala, and Panatina, provided 3,172 new household water supply connections (providing water to 22,204 people) and delivered handwashing facilities to schools, markets, and churches in Gizo, Noro, Auki, and Tulagi. Components 2 and 3 (and hygiene awareness), delivered through the non-government organizations, have prepared a sanitations options manual for householder, constructed pilot toilet facilities in 2 Honiara informal settlements, developed sanitation communications and loan marketing products, and delivered hygiene awareness programs reaching at about 140,000 people. Bidding documents for the fourth component, WASH in schools, to be delivered through NGOs, are currently being finalized. Bidding for the WASH in schools program is expected in the first quarter of 2024.

Output 4: Institutional Strengthening and Project Management.

Rollout of Solomon Water's financial and asset management enterprise resource planning platform (ERP) is ongoing with some modules (asset management) likely to be rolled out in 2024. To address concerns expressed by SW on the need to strengthen SW's financial management capacity for project accounting, ADB has mobilized a financial management consultant through regional technical assistance. The consultant will provide up to 180 working days inputs (including 120 working days in-country inputs) until August 2025.9.Output 5: Management of Honiara's drinking water source area strengthened to build resilience to climate change. Activities under Output 5 are progressing well. Water quality and hydrological monitoring, hydrological modelling, and remote monitoring of land activities in Honiara's water supply catchments is now complete. Water supply catchment management and payment for ecosystem services (PES) activities to promote watershed protection and restoration through alternate livelihood activities to logging for communities within SW water supply catchments in Honiara are ongoing. To date, PES options have been identified and assessed and potential communities and locations of PES programs identified. The IA is now developing PES projects in consultation with key stakeholders.