Integrated water system

1. Introduction

Deployment of first-world technologies in developing countries is complicated by high cost and maintenance requirements. Therefore, the effective implementation of any engineering design in developing countries requires low maintenance and cost-effective technologies to be considered. Many communities in developing countries do not have access to a clean, potable water supply and lack an effective sanitation system. The Republic of Vanuatu is classified by the United Nations as a ‘Least Developed Country’ due to its lower socioeconomic development in areas of poverty, limited resources and economic vulnerability (UNCTAD, 2012). The University of South Australia was approached by a paramount chief from the island of Tanna in Vanuatu to design and develop a proposed ecotourism resort as part of the Port Resolution Community Project. The primary objective of the project is to provide the community with a source of income to support the education of its youth. The Port Resolution Community Project is an extensive design and community consultation project, which enables the University of South Australia to provide its assistance in supporting the lives and educations of individuals in developing countries such as Vanuatu.

The Port Resolution Community Project has enabled university students from different disciplines including civil engineering, architecture, interior architecture and industrial design to be involved in a rewarding project. The large scale of the project has allowed students to focus their attention and energy into a specific part such as developing the architectural plans, the structural engineering design of building and proposing a renewable energy electricity system. The author’s involveme...

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...’s most easily accessible active volcanoes (Méheux, et al, 2004). Port Resolution is one of the few white sand beaches in Vanuatu and this type of location is being exploited by foreign investors (2013, pers. comm., Morris). In addition, the Port Resolution Community Project is also a prototype project to establish whether similar projects can be implemented in other communities on Tanna and throughout Vanuatu to support the education of Vanuatu’s youth (2013, pers. comm., Morris). Hence, the concept behind the Port Resolution Community Project is to provide tourists with a traditional cultural experience while meeting their expectations of first-world facilities such as electricity and modern amenities. Therefore, it is vital for the project that the community remains in control of the management, the land and the generated income (2013, pers. comm., Morris).