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Title: | Environmental impact assessment for the construction and setup of an island sewerage system in Mulah Island, Meemu Atoll, Maldives |
Authors: | Water Solutions |
Keywords: | Sewerage systems Legislative and regulatory considerations Existing environmental conditions Existing marine environment Existing terrestrial environment Existing socio-economic environment Environmental impacts Mitigation measures Environmental management and monitoring plan Environmental impact assessments |
Issue Date: | Nov-2016 |
Citation: | Water solutions. (2016). Environmental impact assessment for the construction and setup of an island sewerage system in Mulah Island, Meemu Atoll, Maldives. Male': Maldives |
Abstract: | This report discusses the findings of an environmental impact study undertaken
by Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd in order to fulfill obligatory requirements of the National
Environment Protection and Preservation Act, Law No. 4/93 for the proposed setup of
the sewerage system (hereafter referred to as the project) in Mulah island, Meemu
Atoll, Maldives.
The purpose of this EIA is to identify and minimize potential adverse
environmental impacts related to this project and enhance the overall quality of the
project. By examining the project location, the legal framework and the existing
environmental components such as marine ecology and the socio-economic aspects,
this EIA provides useful information regarding the extent, nature and the magnitude
of impacts that are likely to occur. The EIA will also help to identify the long term
socio-economic benefits to the community after implementing this project. It also
provides a framework for future monitoring of the environment, so that changes can
be monitored and corrective measures can be undertaken.
The proposed project aims to establish an island wide sewerage collection and
disposal system. At present household wastewater is disposed on site by the use of
septic tanks and this has contributed to the contamination of the groundwater to a state
that it cannot be utilized for any portable use. The project therefore involves the
following components:
a) Installation of an island wide sewage collection network.
b) Installation of new catch pits for each house / institution.
c) Construction of pump stations in strategic locations to collect and convey raw
sewage from the households and to the final disposal station.
d) Construction of a sea outfall to discharge the sewage into deep sea.
The proposed project will ensure that the groundwater of the island does not get
contaminated through improper sanitation systems. It will also ensure that the
surrounding marine environment will improve in terms of environmental quality and
will ensure pollution from sewage does not occur on the near shore environments
resulting from potential private outfall connections in the future that may arise as a
result of groundwater pollution from septic tanks.
The project is expected to bring several positive impacts on the environmental
quality of the island and the surrounding reef. Particularly, the most significant benefit
would be achieved through improvement in the bacteriological quality of the
groundwater. The health benefits of the project are also worthy of noting as the
improvement in water quality are going to bring significant health benefits to the
community. At present, the people of the island risk contracting sin and water borne
diseases due to the potential contamination of groundwater that escalates to various
levels throughout the year. Children are particularly at higher risk and continue to
pose a threat to human development and well-being of the islanders.
Environmental impacts and mitigation measures
Several environmental impacts of this proposed project have been examined
through a number of processes. These include consultations with the project
development team, field surveys, observations and assessment, and field experience
gained from similar development projects implemented throughout the country.
Potential positive and negative impacts on the environment have been considered. The
assessment indicates environmental impacts both during the construction and
operation stage. During the construction period, impacts are likely to occur on the
marine and terrestrial environment (groundwater) as the proposed project does
necessitate construction of an outfall.
Most of the impacts during the construction period are impacts related to
construction waste, dust emission, damage to the reef during sea outfall construction
and noise as well as disruption to the daily life of islanders due to construction
activities. During the operational stage of this project, there will be both positive and
negative impacts. Positive impacts include the improvement of the ground water
quality of the island. Negative impacts include the increased in extraction of
groundwater for toilet flushing. This project does foresee some negative impacts even
during the construction stage but is geared towards improving the overall
environmental quality of the island, most notably the environmental health. The
project does not pose serious threats to the marine or terrestrial environment and will
directly benefit the environment and the community, both in the short and long term.
Minor negative impacts with varying significance will occur as the project is
implemented such as dust emissions during pipe laying work and some reef damage
during the process of outfall construction. The pump stations have also been placed
around the various locations in the island, some requiring removal of trees while
others does not foresee much tree removal. The project will benefit the community
and the island in the long term. It is important to ensure that the project
implementation is carried in a sustainable manner and in such the sewerage system
can be maintained in a cost effective manner as and when required. |
URI: | http://saruna.mnu.edu.mv/jspui/handle/123456789/4992 |
Appears in Collections: | ތިމާވެށި Environment A
|
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