AWWA MTC69650

On December 26, 2004, the second largest earthquake ever recorded caused a series of tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. The effects of the "Boxing Day Tsunami" were devastating to the poor, low-lying island nation of Maldives. In response to the devastation, USAID provided $1.9 million in new programming to benefit two of the largest islands, Hinnavaru and Naifaru. The objectives of the program included improvements in health care services (reducing acute and chronic illness) and building local capacity. One critical aspect of implementing the health care services program was provision of a safe and reliable potable water supply utilizing desalination. The technical aspects of the project involved the design, installation, and commissioning of two donated 8,000 GPD seawater desalination units on the islands of Hinnavaru and Naifaru. As part of ensuring the technical sustainability of the program, the humanitarian aspects of the project included team building and coordination, community assessment and mobilization, community health education, and capacity building of local governmental organization, in addition to the training of local operators and provision of ongoing technical support. This paper focuses on both the technical aspects of the project and the project sustainability of implementing desalination in the developing world. The technical aspects of this project included several elements: an open seawater intake system; pretreatment utilizing multimedia filters; seawater reverse osmosis units; stabilization and disinfection processes; brine management; a distribution network; and, an emergency generator. One key aspect of project sustainability was the inclusion of stakeholders on both the governmental and local level. The authors coordinated the interests of USAID, three Maldivian government organizations, island chiefs, and local water committees. Includes tables, figures.