This investigation assesses the possibility of Hoga island becoming self sustained in the provision of fresh water whilst taking in to account the current impacts of taking fresh water from the aquifer on Kaledupa. Environmental and social limitations are also considered for the development of this resource. The rationale for this investigation is due to a desire expressed by Operation Wallacea to investigate the possibility of using their own water resource as opposed to taking it from the neighbouring island of Kaledupa.

• To assess the current water demands and supplies of water on Hoga.
• To evaluate the aquifer on Hoga Island, investigating whether there is sufficient water of adequate drinking quality to provide the Operation Wallacea base with drinking water whilst maintaining the current supply for washing etc.
• To assess the impact Operation Wallacea and the local people are having on the aquifer on Hoga and the potential contamination they may be causing in terms of sanitation.
• To suggest precautions to be taken in future tourism growth on Hoga in order to manage development in such a way that it will not contaminate its own water resource.

To achieve these objectives a series of semi-structured interviews were carried out with various researchers already in the field to gain and understanding of the current situation and future implications. Semi-structured interviews have been used as it allowed the researcher to interact with the interviewee and therefore gain a greater understanding of the subject.  Focus group meetings were also held with Operation Wallacea staff, the hydrologist and the sanitation engineer in order to achieve a common understanding.

Progress to date

Current water demands have been determined and future needs have been estimated. It has been calculated that 450,000 litres need to be taken out of the Aquifer per season. It has been found that there is sufficient water within the Aquifer for this to happen, as there is an annual turnover of 1,000,000m³.  Thus if all the existing water used by the ecotourism operations on Hoga and the village of Furake were taken from the Hoga aquifer it would amount to far less than 1% of the resources available.

The main landowner on Hoga has been interviewed and has agreed to a pipe running across the land, but prices and annual rent have yet to be negotiated.

Report

A dissertation will be written under the title of - An investigation of the environmental and social implications of developing the Aquifer on Hoga for ecotourism by Gemma Silverwood, University of Portsmouth by May 2002.