7 Jun 2019

Ceremony marks completion of Kiribati water project

4:00 pm on 7 June 2019

A ceremony has been held in Kiribati to mark the completion of a four-year project to improve access to fresh water.

Kiribati water and sanitation in the outer islands

Kiribati water and sanitation in the outer islands Photo: Supplied/ SPC

The $US3.5 million project was funded by the European Union, and saw freshwater supplies installed in 35 villages across the 16 outer islands of the Gilbert group.

More than 9000 people now have access to water in their villages.

The Kiribati infrastructure minister, Ruateki Tekaiara, told a ceremony in Maiana that the project has changed lives, with people no longer having to walk vast distances for fresh water.