Solomon Water is thrilled to be working with Goulburn Valley Water of Australia as part of the ‘Partnerships for a Resilient and Climate Smart Water Sector’ program, facilitated by the Australian Water Association and the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association.

The water utility partnership program, funded through the Australian Water Partnership by the Australian Government, encompasses three vital action areas:

1. Finding solutions for rising sea levels: This initiative aims to reduce saltwater ingress at Noro water source on New Georgia Island, ensuring a sustainable source of freshwater for the region.
2. Reducing water loss from the water system in Honiara: A pilot project will be launched in three district metered areas (DMAs) to combat water loss, which is a pressing issue for Solomon Water. This will improve the efficiency and sustainability of the water distribution system.
3. Strengthening the meter-to-cash process: This initiative will map and identify areas for development within the same areas piloted in the NRW project - all towards streamlining and strengthening Solomon Water’s billing and revenue collection processes.

Chief Operations Officer Scravin Tongi emphasized the value of this twinning program to Solomon Water's operations and business, stating, "This partnership is a game-changer for us. It enables us to access international expertise and resources, which will significantly enhance our capacity to address the climate change and water-related challenges we face."

Revenue and Debt Recovery Coordinator Lucy Bonunga expressed her appreciation of the twinning program, saying, "Working with Goulburn Valley Water to reduce water loss in Honiara is a golden opportunity for us. Water loss is a significant concern for Solomon Water, and collaborating with our Australian counterparts will help us develop effective strategies to combat this issue head-on.”

The partnership program marks a significant step toward building a more resilient and climate-smart water sector in the Solomon Islands.

Monica, Goulburn Valley Water lead for the meter to cash action area, said that the program presents unique prospects to create lasting solutions to mutual water sector issues, "This has been an incredible opportunity to work together collaboratively, build relationships, share problems, and look at solutions to meet our shared vision of being able to provide safe and reliable water.”

For Dan Wooley, Goulburn Valley Water lead for the water loss project, it was his first international experience. He had this to say about his experience, "I cannot believe I have been so lucky to be involved in such an amazing program. It’s been an eye-opening, mind-blowing, yet humbling experience. This has been a life-changing experience in so many ways. I would like to thank AWA and Solomon Water for this opportunity to work alongside the Solomon Water team, to build bonds with an international water utility, and work together to build a better, more sustainable future for everyone.”

Mark Mitchell, Goulburn Valley Water lead for the saline intrusion project on New Georgia Island, said the partnership program better positioned the Goulburn Valley Water team to provide advice and support that would respond to the challenges and barriers Solomon Water faced. "This is a fantastic opportunity to work with like-minded peers facing similar climate change issues in a uniquely different environment. It broadened my understanding of the different challenges our partners in the Pacific Islands face.”

The Solomon Water and Goulburn Valley Water twinning partnership started in March 2023, and aims to create a long-term beneficial relationship between the two organisations.

Media contact:

Ruth Ramoifuila, Communications and Corporate Support Coordinator

Phone: 44662 | Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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PDF download: Media Release: Solomon Water and Goulburn Valley Water forge international partnership

Solomon Water has extended the suspension of water supply from Kongulai and Kombito sources due to high turbidity levels caused by the recent heavy rains.

Turbidity is a measurement of how cloudy the water is in surface water sources and can be caused by silt, mud, algae, or other particles in the water.

The action to turn off supply is necessary to ensure we do not supply water that is unsafe for drink or use. Our disinfection process cannot kill any bacteria when there is high turbidity which makes it unsafe and poses health risks to customers. High turbidity in water will also clog pipes and customers facilities.

To its valued customer, Solomon Water apologises for any inconvenience caused by this necessary action in ensuring safe water supply to its customers.

“We acknowledge the hardship all of us are experiencing right now and want to assure customers and the public that Solomon Water strives to provide safe and clean water at all times” says Solomon Water CEO Carmine Piantedosi. “We cannot compromise on the health and safety of our customers when our water sources have high turbidity, which is why we took this necessary action to turn off supply”.

Solomon Water is closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates to customers on when the supply will be restored.

Media contact:

Ruth Ramoifuila, Communications and Corporate Support Coordinator

Phone: 44662 | Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Solomon Water has successfully completed a comprehensive training program in gender equality and gender-based violence for staff delivered by national NGO, the Family Support Center. Gender-based violence is any act or threat of violence that is committed against someone because of their sex.

The training was part of Solomon Water’s obligation to the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project to ensure Solomon Water staff attend gender training to enhance staff awareness of gender, gender equality, gender-based violence, and related topics while facilitating changes in attitudes and behaviors.

The comprehensive and enriching training covered areas in:

• Gender equality - difference between sex and gender, gender norms, power relations.
• Violence in relationships and violence against women -statistics of gender based violence in the Solomon Islands and the Pacific, definition of domestic violence, types/forms and examples of violence, harassment in the workplace, violence root causes, violence risk factors and impacts of violence.
• The cycle of violence: myths and attitudes that support violence against women and girls, the cycle of violence – break the cycle or the silence.
• Human rights, national and international laws relation to violence: Family Protection Act (2014), Penal Code amended sexual offences Act 2016, the Solomon Islands Constitution 1978, and ratified UN conventions including CEDAW and CRC.

 Head of Corporate Services Michelle Maelaua said “We wanted staff to be trained in social issues affecting individuals and workforces not only because of our obligations to our project, but also so that staff would be able to contribute to efforts to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace and in their homes and communities”.

"We are grateful for our partnership with the Family Support Center to deliver this training for our staff. FSC's professional delivery and the comprehensive content of the training program have been invaluable”.

“Gender inequality and gender-based violence can impact any person, in any situation,” said Manager of Family Support Center, Lorio Sisiolo. “That is why it is so critical for the Family Support Centre to offer specialist trainings in these two areas so that we can continue to increase the public awareness and advocacy to eliminate and prevent gender based violence and violence against women in the country. We were excited to partner with Solomon Water to train their staff across their different departments and thank their management and staff in making this training possible".

Over 100 staff participated in the gender equality and gender-based violence training over September and October this year.

Solomon Water is committed to building a workforce that embraces the values of respect and of gender equality, and this training is a significant step towards achieving that goal.

We’re with you in improving value, improving services and improving for the future - all aimed at delivering our vision of “Safe water for a healthy nation”.

Media contact:

Ruth Ramoifuila, Communications and Corporate Support Coordinator

Phone: 44662  | Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PDF download: Media Release - Solomon Water staff complete gender equality and gender-based violence training

Solomon Water CEO Carmine Piantedosi and Our Telekom CEO Christina Lasaqa following the signing of the M-SELEN partnership agreement in Honiara this morning.

Solomon Water has announced a partnership with Our Telekom that will see the inclusion of CashWater and postpaid bill payments in the M-SELEN mobile money service.

Launched in June this year, M-SELEN is the recent of mobile money service transforming the way customers in the Solomon Islands conduct cashless transactions and digital payments.

With this partnership, Solomon Water customers can now effortlessly access and settle their water bills or pay for their CashWater tokens with just a few taps on their smartphones or mobile phone handsets.

Solomon Water CEO Carmine Piantedosi expressed his excitement about the partnership stating “We are delighted to partner with Our Telekom to integrate CashWater and Postpaid bill payments into the M-SELEN platform. This collaboration underscores our commitment to enhancing the customer experience and providing additional access points for our valued customers to pay for their water bills and tokens. It aligns perfectly with our mission to provide our valued customers with a seamless and convenient method to manage their water bills and tokens”.

Our Telekom CEO Christina Lasaqa also shared her thoughts on the significance of this partnership, saying "Our Telekom is proud to join hands with Solomon Water in this initiative. We believe that this collaboration will greatly benefit our shared customers by offering them a secure and user-friendly platform to manage their water payments conveniently. It marks a milestone in the evolution of digital services in the Solomon Islands."

The partnership was formalized with an agreement signing by the Solomon Water and Our Telekom CEOs in Honiara this morning.

The M-SELEN CashWater and postpaid bill payment service will be available to customers by the end of this month, October. 

We’re with you in improving value, improving services and improving for the future - all aimed at delivering our vision of “Safe water for a healthy nation”.

Media contact:

Ruth Ramoifuila, Communications and Corporate Support Coordinator

Phone: 44662  | Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Solomon Water:

Solomon Water is a state-owned enterprise (SOE) established by the Solomon Islands Government in 1992 to provide municipal water and wastewater services in the country. Solomon Water currently serves over 17,000 customers in the capital city of Honiara and in key provincial centers, including Auki, Noro, and Tulagi.

Our vision: "Safe water for a healthy nation."

Our mission: "To provide reliable and safe water supply and sewerage services within our area of operations in Solomon Islands, while working in partnership with the community to plan, deliver, and operate infrastructure in a manner that seeks to minimize the social and environmental impacts of our activities."

About Our Telekom:

Solomon Telekom Company Limited (Our Telekom) is a local private company with majority shareholding by Solomon Islands National Provident Fund, (SINPF) which holds 97.32% of the shares, and the Investment Corporation of the Solomon Islands (ICSI) which owns 2.68% of the shares.

Our Telekom is a full-service provider with the largest mobile footprint in the Solomon Islands. Services include; Mobile 2G/3G/4G LTE, Fixed lines, VDSL & GPON, Wired/Wireless Broadband, FTTP, IPVPN, Domain & email provisioning, DR facilities management, Co-location, IT desktop services, IPLC services, Television services, and VOD services.

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