The Samoa Independent Water Schemes Association (SIWSA) in
collaboration with the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) offered short courses on plumbing
for representatives of village water committees. The training was funded by the European Union (EU)
water management project which aims to encourage the village water committees to take ownership of
the management and maintenance of their water networks.
The 12 day training covered courses on work, health and safety requirements, using plumbing hand
and power tools, fabricating and installing non-ferrous pressure piping, installing and adjusting water
service controls and devices and connecting and installation of storage tanks to a domestic water
supply.
The Head of Economic Cooperation, Investment and Agriculture Sectors at the Delegation of the
European Union for the Pacific, Ms. Barbara Riksen said, “The European Union is proud to be working
together with Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) and to provide plumbing courses for the
eighteen communities. Through this training, the trained plumbers will be able to keep the plumbing
system well maintained and functional, to remove liquid wastes efficiently, and to minimize risk of
failure of the system through vigilance and quality assurance. This will ensure the supply safe drinking
water in adequate quantities. We congratulate the plumbers with their successful participation in the
plumbing training course and many congratulations the only female graduate today; you are an
inspiration to many around you. We also applaud the Samoa Independent Water Schemes Association
for making this training course a success”.
13 participants, including one female, have today successfully completed the plumbing course. The
participants originate from six IWS communities, namely Maasina, Lona, Laulii, Luatuanuu, Falevao
and Saoluafata. So far, this is the third cohort that had completed their plumbing training under this
initiative by the SIWSA.
“A total of 18 Independent Water Schemes (IWS) have benefitted from the three plumbing short
courses. The plumbing courses have complemented other initiatives offered under this project such as
the development of drinking water safety plans for all IWSs, the pilot of 10 UV Filter Kiosks for
communities’ drinking water and the pilot of water meters at an IWS to promote water management
and conservation. It is important that those responsible for the operations and management of their
network systems be upskilled for the sustainability of the initiatives offered under this project. Once
again we thank the European Union for the continuous support offered to our vulnerable
communities” said Clarissa Laulala, the SIWSA Program Manager.

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Following this event, on Tuesday 23rd November, 2021, under the same project, the IWSA will be
launching its final Ultra Violet Filtration System Kiosk in the village of Salailua in the big island of
Savaii. This is the 10th Kiosk to be installed in Samoa and in total, these UV Kiosks will benefit a
population of more than six thousand people in the IWS communities.