A dive-school in Fiji has carried out a sustainable clean-water project for a local primary school, and says the move provides a blueprint for other coastal communities needing low-maintenance, climate-resilient water solutions.
Dive Academy Fiji at Viani Bay Resort, located near the celebrated Rainbow Reef on Taveuni, is a 5* PADI Eco Dive Resort and Freediving Centre dedicated to environmental conservation, sustainable tourism and community development.
Its staff worked with Ucunivatu Primary School and community volunteers to install the area’s first solar-powered desalination system. The operation involved transporting materials by boat, digging trenches, laying pipelines, preparing foundations and supporting the installation.
The system now provides clean drinking water daily for 52 students, four teachers and their families, a nursery group and nearby households in the remote coastal area, which the school says has long suffered from water insecurity.
The local well contained only brackish water and rainwater collection would often fail during dry spells. The new portable unit can produce up to 140 litres of drinking water per hour, with a back-up generator for overcast periods and water tanks to provide safe storage.
Reefs to rugby
Funded by Germany’s foreign office through the German embassy in Fiji’s capital Suva, the project is part of what Dive Academy Fiji and Viani Bay Resort say is their broader community work to protect the coral reef and support local families.
Ongoing projects include coral and giant clam restoration, crown-of-thorns starfish removal and reef monitoring. They also run a scuba scholarship programme to help young Fijians learn to dive and become dive professionals.
Further support is provided to the local rugby team and the Fiji Sea Salt micro-enterprise, which produces artisanal salts and coconut-based products to create additional income and jobs in the bay area.
“Our conservation and community initiatives are interconnected – from reef restoration and environmental education to scholarships and now clean drinking water,” said Dive Academy Fiji co-founder Marina Walser, who came up with and co-ordinated the desalination project.
“The system is simple, affordable, and practical for remote areas. It shows what can be achieved when local commitment and international support come together. We are deeply grateful to the German embassy for making this project possible.”
