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PROJECT OBJECTIVE
To rehabilitate and manage the Apia Catchment in a sustainable manner in order to improve the
quality and quantity of the water resources for enhanced water supply and hydropower generation,
social-economic advancement and reduced environmental adverse impacts. This is being achieved
through a focus on identifying and rehabilitating vulnerable areas upstream of rivers and it is enforced
by the endorsement of catchment Watershed Management Plans as directed by the Water Resources
Act.
Top 3 Project Results
1. The taking of land from the Catholic Land subdivision for water resources protection. Government
buy-in to a proposal to take lands that are considered priority for water resources conservation is a
great achievement when considering that the proposed subdivision was valued at 50 million Tala.
2. Watershed Management Plans (WMP) have been finalized for 3 of the 4 catchments in the Apia
Catchment. A key feature of the WMPs is the definition of Buffer zones and Natural reserves. The
project has also legally defined buffer zones as 20m from the bank of the river or 20m from top of a
steep slope where a river flows.
3. Watershed Conservation Policy. IWRM developed this policy to reserve the upland of the country
for the specific purpose of water resources conservation. Up to 300m from sea level is encouraged to
be developed; 300 – 600m will be classified as restricted developments; and 600m upward is
classified as exclusion zone where no developments are allowed.
