Australian High Commission
Honiara
Solomon Islands

Improving water quality in Honiara

10 December 2013

Improving water quality in Honiara

If you take a drive out of Honiara, up the steep pot-holed track that take you through the hills and beyond, you’ll come across Kongulai, the source of 60% of Honiara’s water supply. This picturesque scene with lush green palms, towering betel nut trees and icy cold water rushing through the rocks, is Louis Downing’s office for the day.

“I think I’m pretty lucky here,” he says. “When I was working in Australia, I was always inside doing paperwork, but here in the Solomons, I get a chance to be in the field and get my hands dirty.”

Louis came to the Solomon Islands as a volunteer under the Australian funded Australian Youth Ambassador for Development (AYAD) program around 10 months ago. He joins about 60 Australian volunteers who work in the country every year in a variety of fields from medical, government, legal, media and education.

He is working as a Water Quality Development Officer with Solomon Water, a state funded enterprise that supplies water to Honiara, the nations capital.

“My role involves testing the water to make sure it’s safe,” he says. “We’re making decisions that have a real impact - we’re actually saving lives every day by providing clean fresh drinking water to the city.”

He works closely with his counterpart Josh Torenn, testing chlorine levels, PH and whether there are water quality risks that could be a problem.”

“I enjoy working with Louis and we work well together,” Josh says. “Sometimes we have a different point of view, but that’s ok, that’s how we solve things.”

Louis agrees.

“I came to share skills with Josh, but I feel like we compliment each other really well. He more of an analytical chemist, while my background is in chemical engineering, so I think we’re both learning a lot. And culturally, I’m definitely learning a lot more from him. He really helps me navigate life in the Solomons.”

Louis says funding from Australia through the Rapid Action Plan project has helped Solomon Water improve its operations and services and allowed him to do his job.

“Before the action plan, our equipment would break down but since RAP, we now have access to new testing kids and PH meters and we’ve noticed huge improvements in the water quality,” he says.

“We have installed new systems to introduce chlorine into the water supply and improve the laboratory at head office. It’s made a huge difference to the organisation and therefore, the quality of water that comes out of a tap.”

“I love living in Solomon Islands and my volunteer role has really opened my eyes to the world,’ he says. ‘I’m beginning to realize the world’s a lot bigger than Melbourne! I feel a lot more empowered about where I want to go next and what I want to do.”