Environment - ތިމާވެށި
Browse
67 results
Search Results
Item Enviornmental impact assessment for the proposed development of an agricultural island Medhufaru Noonu Atoll, Maldives(2013-05-01) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of a social and environmental impact study under the proposed development of agriculture on Medhufaru, Noonu Atoll. The project is proposed by Capital Travel and Tours Pvt. Ltd. The project targets at using Medhufaru for agriculture and produce some of the imported fresh food locally to reduce cost to consumers and also provide them with better quality goods. There will be clearance of about 13.29% of the land and access channel dredging. Construction of a long jetty and services related to the proposed project such as water, sewerage, energy and waste will also be established during the construction phase. At present, Medhufaru is an uninhabited island not used for any purpose. However, locals of the nearby communities such as Manadhoo use parts of the extensive lagoon around Medhufaru for extraction of sand to be used for construction. The agriculture industry in the Maldives is fairly undeveloped at present. Small sizes of the islands and absence of adequate natural freshwater supplies along with the climatic factors make it hard for majority of food imported to the Maldives to be planted and harvested on a commercial scale. However, there are some species such as papaya, egg plants, bananas and coconut palms which can be farmed and harvested economically. The produce can be sold to the growing tourism industry which imports majority of their agricultural products from other countries. Hence, to develop the agricultural industry of the Maldives and to potentially cater mainly for the market demand from tourism was amongst main goals of this project. Alternatives have been identified in the project document. These include alternative uses of the island such as for a tourist resort or declaring the island as a nature reserve. However, upon closer analysis of these options, the proposed development of the island for agricultural purpose was found to be more viable based on the present circumstances under which the island has been leased. The absence of easily accessible good coral reef anywhere near the island makes it lacking for a tourist resort while nature reserves doesn’t bring any economic benefits, rather only negative economic impacts. Also, the island does not have such unique ecosystems that require special protection. However, there are some areas of the island such as the wetland areas which are of some significance. Therefore, the preferred alternative identified by the consultants was to use the island for agriculture as proposed, but conserving parts of the island due to their ecological significance and establish a research and conservation program within the proposed project. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts of the project have been identified as minor negative with highly positive socio-economic impacts. The main negative impacts from the project include habitat loss from vegetation clearance, sedimentation and consequent impacts on marine wildlife health and groundwater pollution from usage of chemicals such as pesticides during the operational phase. The mitigation measures outlined for these impacts include conserving mature trees to the greatest possible extent, minimizing sedimentation by reducing the area to be dredged and taking precautionary measures for dredging works at the reef entrance, reducing the use of chemicals as much as possible, establishing dust control plans and careful supervision and training of chemical handling in addition to employing bestpractice guidelines during the operational phase. The most positive socio-economic impacts related to the project are increase in job opportunities, reduction in prices of agricultural produce and increase of national revenue. It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts. However, most of the impacts of the proposed project are minor compared to the positive socio-economic benefits of the proposed system. Yet, monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed project would be necessary. Therefore, a monitoring component has been suggested which takes in to consideration, the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component will be adhered to and will allow the assessment of changes due to construction and implementation of the proposed agriculture project. Monitoring is specifically focussed on employment opportunities, price changes in the market, direct and indirect economic ventures, ground and marine water quality, changes in the hydrodynamics of the project area as well as impacts on the reef or marine ecological area of importance. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to develop Medhufaru as an agricultural island. However, there are alternatives that may be more suitable and shall be considered with caution and after understanding the costs and discussions with relevant government authorities.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed reclamation at Nilandhoo, Faafu Atoll, Maldives(2013-07) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of an Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed reclamation of 100,000 sq. ft. of land on the northern side of the island between the two existing harbour areas in Nilandhoo, Faafu Atoll. The borrow area has been identified to be the old access channel. The project is proposed by Nilandhoo Island Council and the EIA is undertaken by Sandcays as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility Programme. The total volume of sand required will be approximately 28,000m3. The existing old access channel would be the primary borrow area, which is approximately 30m wide and 320m long. The average depth of the area is about 3m and dredging the channel up to 6m would result in about 29,000m3 of sand which would be sufficient enough for the proposed reclamation work. The reclaimed area will also be protected by grout bags. Around 100 mature trees, mostly coconut palms will be transplanted from location of the proposed housing project. These plants are scheduled for removal in the near future and only those plants that are removed under the housing project will be transplanted in the proposed reclamation area. The project is targeted at improving the environmental health conditions of the people of Nilandhoo by improved landuse planning. Nilandhoo is predominantly fishing village where fish is cooked and dried for sale in the local and potential international markets. There is daily, continuous processing (cooking, smoking and drying) just next to the residential area, which has resulted in several complaints from people who are not involved in the fish processing industry. The main complaint had been that of unpleasant smell. Therefore, the Council has decided to move this industrial process a little further from the residential area in order to address this issue as well as to provide additional opportunities for those who seek land for the same or similar activities. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts of the project have been identified as positive resulting mainly from improved environmental health, increased economic activities, direct and indirect employment opportunities, increase in related business ventures, and so on. The main negative environmental impact of the project is identified to be the possible movement of low levels of sediment towards the reef. The movement and settlement of fine sediments are expected to occur on the reef flat, which is mainly dead. There may be some sediment movement on to the reef slope and edge. This would be negligible due to the small volume of dredge material and undertaking of mitigation measures such as bunding the reclamation area prior to filling. Therefore, the environmental impacts of the project are considered to be of minor negative. The impact matrices done for the project indicates a net positive impact. During the construction phase, it is vital to undertake daily in-situ monitoring of total suspended solids and turbidity to ensure that water quality criteria are met and sedimentation on the reef does not occur. In addition, monitoring of shoreline changes, water quality and drogues shall be undertaken for about a year. It is recommended to incorporate these into an island-wide monitoring programme, which is not within the scope of this EIA report. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to reclaim a small area of land on the northern side of the island.Item First Addendum : environmental impact assessment for the proposed reclamation of runway extension Gan International Airport Addu City, Maldives(2013-06) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed dredging of access channel for the purpose of land reclamation to extend the existing runway on Gan, Addu City. This report shall be read in conjunction with the EIA report for the Proposed Reclamation of Runway Extension at Gan International Airport. This report examines expected environmental and social impacts of the newly proposed method for an access channel and potential mitigation measures. The existing airport in Gan was recently open for international flights and needed to increase length of the runway to accommodate potential larger flights was imminent. Hence, reclamation of necessary land using a cutter-suction dredger was proposed. However, due to the existing reef and shallow lagoon, an access channel for the dredger needs to be made. The initial proposal to make the access channel on the southern side of the island was not possible due to hard substrate and strong waves. An alternative access channel from north-east side of the island through the lagoon on southern side of the island was proposed by the contractor. It shall be noted that the shorter access channel from the western rim reef that was proposed in the EIA report was proposed based on the recommendations of the Contractor(s) and with the assumption that the works would be started as planned during the calm days in Feb 2013. The proposed access channel dredging is not envisaged to have major significant negative constructional impacts; however, there will be minor to moderate potential environmental impacts from the operations including loss of marine biota, habited and harm to coral from sedimentation. A number of mitigation measures such as use of sedimentation screens, relocation of larger colonies of live corals were identified by the consultants. Monitoring program outlined in the EIA report was found to be sufficient and additional environmental monitoring was not found to be necessary except for water quality at the proposed dredge and fill areas. Given that the project does not have major negative environmental impacts and is unavoidable to start construction of the project, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed development of new superior rooms at Club Med Kanifinolhu(2013-01) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed 18 rooms on the northern end of Club Med Kanifinolhu, North Malé Atoll. The 18 rooms will be developed as 9 single units comprising each of 2 rooms. The northern end has a large expanse of land formed behind a seawall/revetment in the area. The rooms are to be built in this area, which has had a few coconut palms and an iron wood tree. This area is the only available land for development of rooms at Kanifinolhu resort. Therefore, to take advantage of the recently introduced 30% built-up area for resorts, Club Med Kanifinolhu is proposing to utilize this land to create rooms targeted for emerging middle markets. The area will be landscaped with the few mature coconut palms that have been removed from the site, additional young palms grown in the island’s nursery and transplanting about 16 more coconut palms from other potential development sites such as housing projects in local islands. In order to meet additional power requirements by the proposed rooms, 2 generator sets are currently being upgraded from 800kVA to 910kVA. For water supply, it has been estimated that about 15800litres will be required for the rooms and the existing RO plant would be able to handle this additional requirement. Sewage and wastewater will be connected to the existing sewerage network by gravity lines. Existing wastewater treatment plant is capable of handling these 18 rooms as well as potential future expansion. Project alternatives have been considered and as has been mentioned earlier, the best alternative is to construct the rooms as proposed. Water villas on the southeastern side may be a potential alternative with disadvantages over cost. Minimizing the number of villas is not an option and the most number of rooms possible is desirable to the Proponent. The main negative environmental impact from the proposed project considered by EPA as well as others (in the Scoping Meeting) is the potential risk of erosion and subsequent structural damage. However, it has been observed from a study of the historic satellite images provided by Google that the sand behind the revetment/seawall at the northern end is quite stable. Therefore, no risks are envisaged. There will be no significant negative impact during the proposed modification of the seawall or retaining wall on the northern end. Sedimentation will be very low and easily dispersed due to high currents in the area. In fact, the proposed modifications will further enhance the protection afforded by the structure and minimize erosion and would be more aesthetically appealing. The other negative impact will be the removal of coconut palms for clearing land for development, however, there are a few and they will be transplanted on the island, preferably at the same area with young coconut trees planted in Kanifinolhu nursery. Other impacts include possible noise disturbance to guests during the construction phase. They will be managed by the Management during the course of the project as usual. Additional rooms will add cumulatively to the emissions and effluents disposed to the environment including brine from desalination, treated wastewater from wastewater treatment and carbon emissions from power generation as well as solid waste. The cumulative impact from additional emissions is considered to be low. Increased awareness together with the use of energy and water efficient gadgets in the new rooms would help to minimize such impacts. Use of solar water heaters and other renewable energy options have already been considered within the scope of the project. The main socio-economic impact of the project is increasing bed capacity and subsequent public/government revenue. There will also be several employment opportunities and indirect economic ventures as a result of the project. In terms of their significance, all of the above impacts are considered to be minor to negligible. There are no direct or indirect impacts on the reef or other ecologically significant areas. Club Med Kanifinolhu has an ongoing environmental monitoring programme incorporating coastal hydrodynamics and marine water quality under the coastal modifications project undertaken in 2012. Therefore, additional monitoring requirements imposed by this project would cover air quality, RO Plant feed water and product water quality. These have been incorporated into this EIA and an overall monitoring programme for the island recommended. Given that the project has major socio-economic benefits and few minor negative environmental impacts, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed coastal modifications at Vakarufalhi Island Resort, South Ari Atoll, Maldives(2013-08) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of an Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed dredging of the existing entrance channel and mooring area at the Service Jetty on the southwest lagoon of Vakarufalhi, South Ari Atoll. The project is proposed by Vakarufalhi Island Resort operated by Mount Lavinia Hotel Group. Vakarufalhi is one of the renowned resorts in the Maldives with luxury beach and water villas, spa, restaurants and bars. The project is targeted at improving access by dredging or maintenance dredging of the existing access channel and mooring area at the service jetty (Jetty B), which is used for supplies and other access needs apart from tourist movements. The dredging of the channel and mooring area is proposed to be undertaken using excavator and truck or mini loader used for moving sand ashore. The volume of the dredged sand is estimated to be about 8500m3 and is proposed to be disposed to the beach after sieving the sand and leftover rubble will be disposed appropriately, either on identified location on land or dumped offshore. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the impacts of the project have been identified as positive resulting mainly from improved access and mooring, improved services, direct and indirect employment opportunities, increase in related business ventures, and so on. The main negative environmental impact of the project is identified to be the possible movement of sediment towards the reef. The movement and settlement of fine sediments are expected to occur mainly on the reef flat, which is predominantly dead. The sedimentation on the reef slope and edge is expected to be low and sediment settlement almost negligible due to good flushing and currents in the area. Therefore, the environmental impacts of the project are considered to be of minor significance and short-term. The project is undertaken due to the socio-economic benefits that entail including easy access at all tides creating improved guest transfers and services. The impact matrices done for the project indicates a net positive impact, however, the magnitude of the net positive impact is small possibly due to the small size of the project. Important mitigation measures that have been identified include the following: 1. Proper setting out of the dredge area to ensure that only the areas where dredging is required will be dredged and coral damage is minimized. 2. Upon setting out, all live coral in the dredge area (borrow areas) shall be moved to safety and transplanted in the nearest safe location prior to dredging. The safe location shall be determined based on the prevailing current direction. 3. Sieve the dredge material before using the material for beach nourishment, so that beach is free from rubble. 4. Excavator movement shall be minimized, therefore, truck or mini loader shall be used for moving the sand from the borrow area to land. Truck movement between the island and the dredge area shall be by using a temporary low bed that is at or slightly below low tide level. Therefore, the moving the dredge material to land would take place during low to medium tide for the safety of the operation. This is considered sufficient based on experience from similar projects. This bed shall be removed at the end of the construction phase. 5. General mitigation measures such as appropriate supervision during the civil works and staff awareness on environmental protection shall be in place. Supervision and environmental guidance shall focus on ensuring that fuelling of excavator and other machinery is undertaken with caution. During the construction phase, it is also vital to undertake daily in-situ monitoring of total suspended solids and turbidity to ensure that water quality criteria are met and sedimentation on the reef does not occur. In addition, monitoring of low tide line, high tide line, water quality and drogues shall be undertaken for a minimum of 2 years. It is recommended to incorporate these into an island-wide monitoring programme, which is not within the scope of this EIA report. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to dredge the existing entrance channel and proposed mooring area on the southwest of Vakarufalhi resort.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed reclamation of runway extension Gan International Airport Addu City, Maldives(2013-01) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of a social and environmental impact study under the proposed runway extension at Gan International Airport, Gan, Addu City. The project is proposed by Addu International Airport Pvt. Ltd. The project is targeted at extending the runway by reclamation of land from the surrounding lagoon so that larger aircrafts can be accommodated. The dredged area will be utilized for sea plane operations in the near future. Coastal protection of the reclaimed area as well as the dredge area for seaplane operations will form an integral part of the project. At present large aircrafts A320 and Boeing 777 can only do an emergency landing and regular operations is not possible. With the increasing demand for large international carriers the runway needs to be extended. The airport not only caters for Addu City but is the international hub in the south of the Maldives catering for a large local population and an ever increasing tourist population in Addu City, Fuah Mulah and Huvadhoo Atolls. Therefore, the proposed runway extension is an immediate need for Gan International Airport. In addition, resort and other economic developments in the southern atolls will increase the demand for seaplane operations and this demand is very strong at present. Therefore, adequate areas need to be identified for seaplane operations. Shallow lagoon areas which can be easily protected from waves is most suitable and the proposed dredge areas on the southern lagoon of Gan are the only potential areas for seaplane operations and their future expansion. Alternatives have been identified in the project document. These include alternatives for the runway extension as well as dredge areas. The runway has been proposed to be extended to 350m initially with the possibility of further expansion in the future. The proposed area for extension is the western end of the runway between Gan and Feydhoo. Two dredge areas were identified as the southwest lagoon area and the southeast lagoon areas. These two options are being currently studied by comparing costs of dredging against operational costs. In terms of their social and environmental impact, both options are equally suitable. Further options were identified during the EIA process including the scoping meeting. One important option identified by the environmental consultants was extending the runway more to the eastern end than the west in order to minimize the impact on the flow between Gan and Feydhoo. This option has been favoured by the Consultants initially. However, taking into consideration the greater negative impacts on the marine environment from the option, the consultants chose to recommend the alternative of reclaiming the entire area between Feydhoo and Gan and to not extend the runway to the eastern side. This option may have additional dredging costs, however, the costs of protecting the reclaimed area is expected to counter balance the increased costs of dredging. In addition, the onshore and offshore protection proposed under the project together with a groyne system for Feydhoo and other affected areas, proposed as mitigation measures, will help to minimize the impacts on longshore transport. Therefore, this option may be favoured. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts of the project have been identified as positive resulting mainly from improved transportation, increased economic activities in the southern atolls of the Maldives, direct and indirect employment opportunities, increase in related business ventures, and so on. The main negative environmental impact of the project is identified to be the changes in hydrodynamics between Feydhoo and Gan and the resulting impacts on the southern, especially southeastern shoreline of Feydhoo. The Proponent is willing to undertake monitoring and if necessary computer modelling to identify mitigation measures and undertake such measures at their cost. There are also few negative impacts of the project relating to changes in landuse as a result of the project. The main impact relating to landuse would be further developments on the southeast corner of Feydhoo, which is the only area of Feydhoo with nice sandy beach. Land owners in the area may be affected. However, industrial developments could take place in the area. The main mitigation measure for the proposed project would be the provision of shore protection to the southeast beach on Feydhoo. The City Council raised concern that this area is even at present under threat of erosion during storms and that they have been considering shore protection measures for this side. Therefore, it would be ideal if such shore protection can be incorporated as mitigation measures under the proposed runway extension project. Secondly, there will be the well-known impact of sedimentation from dredging and reclamation and mitigation measures that shall be implemented. These include provision of bunds and control of dredge water flow in to the environment. Methods of sediment control have been discussed in the report in detail. Use of silt screens where relevant has been identified as an important measure. It is recommended to ensure that sedimentation is kept to a minimal as such use of cutter suction dredger has been recommended. It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts. However, most of the impacts of the proposed project are minor compared to the positive socio-economic benefits of the proposed system. Yet, monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed project would be necessary. Therefore, a monitoring component has been suggested which takes in to consideration, the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component will be adhered to and will allow the assessment of changes due to construction and implementation of the proposed extension of the runway. Monitoring is specifically focussed on water quality, mainly turbidity and total suspended solids during the construction phase. Changes in the hydrodynamics of the project area as well as impacts on the reef or marine ecological are of importance. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to extend the runway of Gan International Airport to the west. However, there are alternative that may be more suitable and shall be considered with caution and after understanding the costs and discussions with relevant government authorities.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed resort development Hudhufushi Lhaviyani Atoll, Maldives(2013-10) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed development of a resort on Hudhufushi, Lhaviyani Atoll. The island is about 0.5km2 in its size and is located on a shared reef system at the eastern side of Lhaviyani Atoll. The Proponent of the proposed development is RPI Pvt. Ltd., a company registered in the Maldives for the purpose of establishing Hudhufushi as a tourist resort. The Proponent proposes to develop a modern resort on Hudhufushi with 27 garden villas, 09 Suit villas, 30 Water villas and 134 Beach villas along with swimming pool, Dive Center, Water Sports Center, Sports Center with gymnasium, Wellness Center or Spa, a theatre, Kids Center with day care services, arrival and service jetties with mooring area or harbor, staff village with shops and different utilities including desalination plant, sewage treatment plant, waste management center and powerhouse. The proposed development will conform to all current environmental legislation including the Regulation on the Protection and Conservation of the Environment in the Tourism Industry. The main negative impact of the proposed development will be the impact of sedimentation on the areas of the housereef on the west where the proposed harbor and access channel will be developed and the impact of deforestation due to land clearance for proposed buildings. These impacts are inevitable. Yet, every effort will be made to minimize the impact and footprint of the impact. The impact of sedimentation on the reef will be minimized by undertaking the excavation at low tides and creating settlement basins as the dredging activity proceeds or by using silt screens. Due to the direction and strength of currents in the proposed jetty and mooring area, the consultants recommend moving the jetty to an alternative location on western side of the island. To minimize the impact of deforestation, buildings will be designed around mature trees minimizing their removal. If a mature tree were to be removed, they will be carefully uprooted and transplanted elsewhere. Impact of water villas is considered to be minor negative given that they are in the lagoon and at a considerable distance from the housereef. To minimize this impact on longshore sediment transport, the walkways of water villas will stand on piles with their footings buried in the seabed. The impact of sedimentation will be minimized by taking care to move the water villas as far away from the live reef areas as possible and transplanting any live corals that may be directly impacted. Care will also be taken to minimize sedimentation on the reef when placing water villa footings and columns. Precast footings and columns will be used and excavator movements shall be minimized. Excavator is preferably moved on barge to minimize sedimentation and if high bed excavators were to be used, they shall move as far from coral reef flat areas as possible. This impact of sedimentation will be short-lived given that tidal and wind-driven currents would normally carry the sediments away from the reef at all tides and monsoons. It is vital, therefore, to monitor the condition of the reef prior to the start of works, during the works and after the works to establish the true nature of the impact. The other environmental impacts of the proposed development include solid waste management, water supply, sewage disposal and energy generation. Solid waste will be generated both during the constructional and operational phase of the resort. Constructional waste will be disposed of by the contractor, to Thilafushi if a regional landfill or waste management site does not exist. During the operational phase, a waste management center established on the island will segregate waste and dispose of them in a manner prescribed in tourism regulations. It is during the construction stage that the waste is often not managed properly and waste ends up in the environment. Therefore, it is vital that waste management procedures are in place during construction phase to ensure waste is appropriately dealt with. Supervision and awareness of construction workforce is highly recommended. Desalination, sewage treatment and power generation are fuel-dependent processes and fuel efficient desalination technology, STPs and, especially, generator sets will be installed in the island. Gravity sewers will deliver the sewage and only a single pumping station will be used. Treated effluent with low levels of BOD (less than 20mg/l) will be disposed to the sea at not less than 10m below MSL and 5m away from the reef edge. Therefore, the impact from sewage disposal will be almost negligible. In fact, the daily peak flows is quite small that the proposed sea outfall would provide over 500-fold dilution to the sewage effluent even if it were raw sewage, which would occur only in the unlikely event that the sewage treatment plant fails. Hence, no further mitigation measures have been considered for sewage disposal and treatment. Environmental monitoring has also been incorporated into the project. Arrangements for monitoring during constructional and operational phase will be considered immediately upon EIA approval. Monitoring will be undertaken according to the monitoring programme recommended in this report. Recommended monitoring for the project includes the monitoring of shoreline at predetermined and bench-marked tide level, beach profiles and drogues at locations given in the EIA report, marine water quality at the location of the intake, brine discharge, sea outfall and a control location, groundwater at a location close to the powerhouse and desalination plant and a control location and quality of product water at 3 specified locations including product water tank. In addition, water, energy, fuel and waste production/usage statistics will have to be collected. Annual monitoring reports have to be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency over the monitoring period and shall include fuel and water consumption data and greenhouse gas emission calculations. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate matrices and the results indicated that the proposed project has net positive impact. Given that the project has major socio-economic benefits although there would be some negative environmental impacts, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed with recommended mitigation measures in place. One of the important mitigation measures or development options identified during the consultative meetings is to declare the coastal inlet as a protected area while providing the Proponent adequate compensation. This has been agreed in principle between the Proponent and EPA and further discussions are underway.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed integrated water resource management project HA. Ihavandhoo(2012-11) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of a social and environmental impact study under the proposed integrated water resource management project in Ihavandhoo, Haa Alifu Atoll. The project is proposed by United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The project is targeted at providing potable water to the community and improving rainwater recharge. Potable water is provided by a combination of rainwater and desalinated water, which is a new and unique project for the Maldives. The recharge well system is even more unique. Consequently, several discussions have been held with the Ministry of Environment (represented by EPA), Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and UNOPS to discuss the several issues. The issues were re-visited during the scoping meeting, the main issues identified by the EPA being the size of the rainwater tanks and good management of the system to ensure that most of the rainwater is used and desalinated water is depended upon as a supplementary source. EPA also has issues with the proposed recharge wells with the main concern lying in the possibility that the recharge wells may help to cause flooding during storm water. However, the project engineer is quite certain that this was not likely and this was also backed by the EIA Consultant. At present Ihavandhoo does not have a piped water supply system and groundwater is used unanimously for all purposes with the exception of bottled water and rainwater for drinking. Several efforts have been made in the past including the construction of public rainwater tanks with public tapbays, which was later replaced by household rainwater tanks of 2500l at each household for easier access but with some compromise on water quality issues. Rainwater, however, could not be depended upon during long, dry periods during the northeast monsoon. With changing climatic patterns worldwide, rainwater can rarely be depended upon. With lack of space for appropriate rainwater collection facilities combined with groundwater contamination and salinization has been seen to cause various health and environmental problems including water-borne diseases. The dependence on groundwater and untreated rainwater is often a cause for concern. Therefore, an integrated water supply system with sustainable groundwater resource is an immediate need for the people of Ihavandhoo, which has a population of over 2750 people in September 2012. The proposed integrated water supply system is designed for maximal use of rainwater supplemented by desalinated water for an average water demand of 50-70 litres per person per day. Raw water is proposed to be drawn from a borehole with 8’’ casing and pumps to pump the raw water to the treatment plant. The treatment for the water is proposed by using Reverse Osmosis technique. The plant will be run by diesel engine and the possibility of alternative energy options such as solar and wind will be considered. The pure water after treatment is collected in glass or fibre-reinforced plastic tanks of adequate capacity determined for Ihavandhoo to be 1000m3 based on EPA guidelines. The water thus collected is introduced in the network so as to reach all the households, institutional and commercial areas with adequate residual pressure through HDPE pipes. The distribution network is designed for over 35 years while the water tank capacity has been based on 15 years as per Government requirements. The proposed IWRM project also comprises of a mechanism to recharge groundwater using a collection of recharge wells made of concrete that will run along the main roads as well as the island periphery. Direct recharge of groundwater is minimized due to urbanisation as permeability is reduced and infiltration surface is minimized. Therefore, this process is assisted by the use of recharge wells that will direct the excess rainwater from roofs to the groundwater lens. However, it must be noted that these recharge wells are not anticipated to cater for storm water drainage. The sole purpose of these wells is to assist groundwater recharge so that the groundwater lens may be sustainably managed. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts of the project have been identified as positive resulting mainly from easy access to safe water supply, improvements to groundwater quality and resulting reduction in water-borne and water-related diseases and improved health of the population. The socio-economic benefits of the project may be considered to outweigh the negative impacts of the project. There are a few negative impacts of the project including the minor impacts of landuse related to the project and clearing of some mature trees that may be required. The impact of clearing would be compensated by replanting mature trees in other areas of the island and, if necessary, planting additional trees. The impact of brine discharge is also considered minor or negligible especially due to the fact that there is no coral cover in the proposed brine discharge location and good mixing will occur due to currents in the area. Since the pipeline is a pressure system, the pipes will be laid above the water table and no dewatering will be required. Hence, no effect on the groundwater lens. Other minor negative impacts include excavation to lay the water distribution network and brine discharge pipe. One of the impacts of the proposed recharge wells would be space constraints to services on the road and the impact would be mitigated by appropriate planning for locating recharge wells and sewerage manholes as well as other such services. The other impact of the proposed recharge wells would be that there may be clogging of the pipes and such clogging may lead to unnecessary flooding in some areas where clogging occurs, especially in areas easily prone to flooding following rain. However, clogging is expected to occur over the long-term, therefore, it is not possible to do field tests to verify this. It has also been seen that recharge is also not much of a use if pumps are used to draw water from the groundwater aquifer, which leads to rapid salinization of the water lens during the dry period. Recharge of groundwater lens also occurs over a large surface due to rainfall. If we consider the sustainable yield estimated for Ihavandhoo, it can be seen that no amount of recharge will help to overcome the problems related to salinization due to increasing use of pumps. In fact, the Maldives receives well over 2000mm of rainfall, which would be more than sufficient to recharge the aquifer. Yet, the aquifer, similar to a rainwater tank, has its maximum capacity limits and cannot overgrow the impact imposed by high rates of abstraction. Therefore, only sustainable rates of pumping can ensure sustainable management of the aquifer. It has been observed from studies carried out for Malé that freshwater exists in pockets. Where the drawn down effect is high, due to the size of pumps and rate of pumping, there is a tendency for the water lens to become more saline at the location where the drawdown is greater. This draw down or lowering of the water table at the point of abstraction, sometimes referred to as the “coning effect” for the freshwater lens, can only be avoided with the use of appropriate technology such as skimming wells and infiltration galleries. The main mitigation measure for the proposed project would be to identify measures to minimize drawdown on the aquifer including the introduction of skimming wells by improving existing wells and enhancing water conservation techniques. The proposed concept of recharge wells is still at a preliminary stage, therefore, it is proposed that the detailed design takes into consideration the findings of this Environmental Impact Assessment, and consultations with the community and relevant government agencies, especially the EPA. It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts. However, these are minor compared to the positive effects of the proposed system. Yet, monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed system would be necessary. Therefore, a monitoring component has been suggested which takes in to consideration, the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component will be adhered to and will allow the assessment of changes due to construction and implementation of the proposed water supply system and aquifer recharge system. Monitoring is specifically focussed on water quality, to include feedwater from the borehole (or other source), collected rainwater, groundwater, product water at designated locations and seawater at brine discharge location (upstream and downstream). Reef or marine ecological monitoring may be considered if the proposed location of the brine discharge or intake is found to be of ecological significance. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to install and operate a piped water supply scheme using rainwater supplemented by desalinated water. However, the recharge well scheme needs to be further evaluated and possibly replaced by or integrated with an alternative scheme such as converting existing household wells to skimming wells to minimize salinization of the groundwater lens. It is also further recommended to consider one of the three islands under this project as a pilot island for the recharge wells instead of all three islands and Ihavandhoo seems to be the most appropriate since the island is higher in elevation compared to the other two and there is a lesser chance of potential flooding, where there is a concern.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed integrated water resource management project GDH. Gadhdhoo(2012-12) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of a social and environmental impact study under the proposed integrated water resource management project in Gadhdhoo, Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll. The project is proposed by United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The project is targeted at providing potable water to the community and improving the rainwater recharge. Potable water is provided by a combination of rainwater and desalinated water, which is a new and unique project for the Maldives. The recharge well system is even more unique. Consequently, several discussions have been held with the Ministry of Environment (represented by EPA), Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and UNOPS to discuss the several issues. The issues were re-visited during the scoping meeting, the main issues identified by the EPA being the size of the rainwater tanks and good management of the system to ensure that most of the rainwater is used and desalinated water is depended upon as a supplementary source. EPA also has issues with the proposed recharge wells with the main concern lying in the possibility that the recharge wells may help to cause flooding during storm water. However, the project engineer is quite certain that this was not likely and this was also backed by the EIA Consultant. At present Gadhdhoo does not have a piped water supply system and groundwater is used unanimously for all purposes with the exception of bottled water and rainwater for drinking. Several efforts have been made in the past including the construction of public rainwater tanks with public tapbays, which was later replaced by household rainwater tanks of 2500l at each household for easier access but with some compromise on water quality issues. Rainwater, however, could not be depended upon during long, dry periods during the northeast monsoon. With changing climatic patterns worldwide, rainwater can rarely be depended upon. With lack of space for appropriate rainwater collection facilities combined with groundwater contamination and salinization has been seen to cause various health and environmental problems including water-borne diseases. The dependence on groundwater and untreated rainwater is often a cause for concern. Therefore, an integrated water supply system with sustainable groundwater resource is an immediate need for the people of Gadhdhoo, which has a population of over 2899 people in September 2012. The proposed integrated water supply system is designed for maximal use of rainwater supplemented by desalinated water for an average water demand of 50-70 litres per person per day. Raw water is proposed to be drawn from a borehole with 8’’ casing and pumps to pump the raw water to the treatment plant. The treatment for the water is proposed by using Reverse Osmosis technique. The plant will be run by diesel engine and the possibility of alternative energy options such as solar and wind will be considered. The pure water after treatment is collected in glass or fibre-reinforced plastic tanks of adequate capacity determined for Gadhdhoo to be 900m3 based on EPA guidelines. The water thus collected is introduced in the network so as to reach all the households, institutional and commercial areas with adequate residual pressure through HDPE pipes. The distribution network is designed for over 35 years while the water tank capacity has been based on 15 years as per Government requirements. The proposed IWRM project also comprises of a mechanism to recharge groundwater using a collection of recharge wells made of concrete that will run along the main roads as well as the island periphery. Direct recharge of groundwater is minimized due to urbanisation as permeability is reduced and infiltration surface is minimized. Therefore, this process is assisted by the use of recharge wells that will direct the excess rainwater from roofs to the groundwater lens. However, it must be noted that these recharge wells are not anticipated to cater for storm water drainage. The sole purpose of these wells is to assist groundwater recharge so that the groundwater lens may be sustainably managed. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts of the project have been identified as positive resulting mainly from easy access to safe water supply, improvements to groundwater quality and resulting reduction in water-borne and water-related diseases and improved health of the population. The socio-economic benefits of the project may be considered to outweigh the negative impacts of the project. There are a few negative impacts of the project including the minor impacts of landuse related to the project, however, no clearing is envisaged. The impact of clearing, if any, would be compensated by replanting mature trees in other areas of the island and, if necessary, planting additional trees. The impact of brine discharge is also considered minor or negligible especially due to the fact that there is no coral cover in the proposed brine discharge location and good mixing will occur due to currents in the area. Since the pipeline is a pressure system, the pipes will be laid above the water table and no dewatering will be required. Hence, no effect on the groundwater lens. Other minor negative impacts include excavation to lay the water distribution network and brine discharge pipe. One of the impacts of the proposed recharge wells would be space constraints to services on the road and the impact would be mitigated by appropriate planning for locating recharge wells and sewerage manholes as well as other such services. The other impact of the proposed recharge wells would be that there may be clogging of the pipes and such clogging may lead to unnecessary flooding in some areas where clogging occurs, especially in areas easily prone to flooding following rain. However, clogging is expected to occur over the long-term, therefore, it is not possible to do field tests to verify this. It has also been seen that recharge is also not much of a use if pumps are used to draw water from the groundwater aquifer, which leads to rapid salinization of the water lens during the dry period. Recharge of groundwater lens also occurs over a large surface due to rainfall. If we consider the sustainable yield estimated for Gadhdhoo, it can be seen that no amount of recharge will help to overcome the problems related to salinization due to increasing use of pumps. In fact, the Maldives receives well over 2000mm of rainfall, which would be more than sufficient to recharge the aquifer. Yet, the aquifer, similar to a rainwater tank, has its maximum capacity limits and cannot overgrow the impact imposed by high rates of abstraction. Therefore, only sustainable rates of pumping can ensure sustainable management of the aquifer. It has been observed from studies carried out for Malé that freshwater exists in pockets. Where the drawn down effect is high, due to the size of pumps and rate of pumping, there is a tendency for the water lens to become more saline at the location where the drawdown is greater. This draw down or lowering of the water table at the point of abstraction, sometimes referred to as the “coning effect” for the freshwater lens, can only be avoided with the use of appropriate technology such as skimming wells and infiltration galleries. The main mitigation measure for the proposed project would be to identify measures to minimize drawdown on the aquifer including the introduction of skimming wells by improving existing wells and enhancing water conservation techniques. The proposed concept of recharge wells is still at a preliminary stage, therefore, it is proposed that the detailed design takes into consideration the findings of this Environmental Impact Assessment, and consultations with the community and relevant government agencies, especially the EPA. After discussions with the engineers, it is believed that the system will retain water and about 500m3 of rain will be retained to slowly recharge the aquifer during the dry period or periods with prolonged duration without rain. However, the main problem with the salinization of the aquifer and the making full use of the sustainable yield of the island’s small aquifer lies with the fact that drawdown and coning effect due to the use of pumps in household wells and not with recharge. Also, the potential impact of recharge wells contributing to flooding in a floodprone island like Gadhdhoo is of significance, such a system is not recommended. It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts. However, most of the impacts of the proposed water supply system are minor compared to the positive effects of the proposed system. Yet, monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed system would be necessary. Therefore, a monitoring component has been suggested which takes in to consideration, the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component will be adhered to and will allow the assessment of changes due to construction and implementation of the proposed water supply system and aquifer recharge system. Monitoring is specifically focussed on water quality, to include feedwater from the borehole (or other source), collected rainwater, groundwater, product water at designated locations and seawater at brine discharge location (upstream and downstream). Reef or marine ecological monitoring may be considered if the proposed location of the brine discharge or intake is found to be of ecological significance. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to install and operate a piped water supply scheme using rainwater supplemented by desalinated water. However, the recharge well scheme needs to be further evaluated and possibly replaced by or integrated with an alternative scheme such as converting existing household wells to skimming wells to minimize salinization of the groundwater lens.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed integrated water resource management project ADH. Mahibadhoo(2012-12) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of a social and environmental impact study under the proposed integrated water resource management project in Mahibadhoo, Alifu Dhaal Atoll. The project is proposed by United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The project is targeted at providing potable water to the community and improving the rainwater recharge. Potable water is provided by a combination of rainwater and desalinated water, which is a new and unique project for the Maldives. The recharge well system is even more unique. Consequently, several discussions have been held with the Ministry of Environment (represented by EPA), Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and UNOPS to discuss the several issues. The issues were re-visited during the scoping meeting, the main issues identified by the EPA being the size of the rainwater tanks and good management of the system to ensure that most of the rainwater is used and desalinated water is depended upon as a supplementary source. EPA also has issues with the proposed recharge wells with the main concern lying in the possibility that the recharge wells may help to cause flooding during storm water. However, the project engineer is quite certain that this was not likely and this was also backed by the EIA Consultant given that there is overflow from one well to the other, especially in flood prone areas. At present Mahibadhoo does not have a piped water supply system and groundwater is used unanimously for all purposes with the exception of bottled water and rainwater for drinking. Several efforts have been made in the past including the construction of public rainwater tanks with public tapbays, which was later replaced by household rainwater tanks of 2500l at each household for easier access but with some compromise on water quality issues. Rainwater, however, could not be depended upon during long, dry periods during the northeast monsoon. With changing climatic patterns worldwide, rainwater can rarely be depended upon. With lack of space for appropriate rainwater collection facilities combined with groundwater contamination and salinisation has been seen to cause various health and environmental problems including water-borne diseases. The dependence on groundwater and untreated rainwater is often a cause for concern. Therefore, an integrated water supply system with sustainable groundwater resource is an immediate need for the people of Mahibadhoo, which has a population of over 2100 people in mid-2012. The proposed integrated water supply system is designed for maximal use of rainwater supplemented by desalinated water for an average water demand of 50-70 litres per person per day. Raw water is proposed to be drawn from a borehole with 8’’ casing and pumps to pump the raw water to the treatment plant. The treatment for the water is proposed by using Reverse Osmosis technique. The plant will be run by diesel engine and the possibility of alternative energy options such as solar and wind will be considered. The pure water after treatment is collected in glass or fibre-reinforced plastic tanks of adequate capacity determined for Mahibadhoo to be 700m3 based on EPA guidelines. The water thus collected is introduced in the network so as to reach all the households, institutional and commercial areas with adequate residual pressure through HDPE pipes. The distribution network is designed for over 35 years while the water tank capacity has been based on 15 years as per Government requirements. The proposed IWRM project also comprises of a mechanism to recharge groundwater using a collection of recharge wells made of concrete that will run along the main roads as well as the island periphery. Direct recharge of groundwater is minimized due to urbanisation as permeability is reduced and infiltration surface is minimized. Therefore, this process is assisted by the use of recharge wells that will direct the excess rainwater from roofs to the groundwater lens. However, it must be noted that these recharge wells are not anticipated to cater for storm water drainage. The sole purpose of these wells is to assist groundwater recharge so that the groundwater lens may be sustainably managed. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts of the project have been identified as positive resulting mainly from easy access to safe water supply, improvements to groundwater quality and resulting reduction in water-borne and water-related diseases and improved health of the population. The socio-economic benefits of the project may be considered to outweigh the negative impacts of the project. The main negative impact of the project is the diesel-based power and resultant emissions, which has minor to moderate negative cumulative impacts. However, since rainwater is the primary source and desalination is supplementary to the proposed rainwater system, the power requirement is expected to be much lower than depending on RO desalination technology alone. There are a few negative impacts of the project including the minor impacts of landuse. The impact of brine discharge is also considered minor or negligible especially due to the fact that there is no coral cover in the proposed brine discharge location and good mixing will occur due to currents in the area. Since the pipeline is a pressure system, the pipes will be laid above the water table and no dewatering will be required. Hence, no effect on the groundwater lens. Other minor negative impacts include excavation to lay the water distribution network and brine discharge pipe. One of the impacts of the proposed recharge wells would be space constraints to services on the road and the impact would be mitigated by appropriate planning for locating recharge wells and sewerage manholes as well as other such services. The other impact of the proposed recharge wells would be that there may be clogging of the pipes and such clogging may lead to unnecessary flooding in some areas where clogging occurs, especially in areas easily prone to flooding following rain. However, clogging is expected to occur over the long-term, therefore, it is not possible to do field tests to verify this. It has also been seen that recharge is also not much of a use if pumps are used to draw water from the groundwater aquifer, which leads to rapid salinization of the water lens during the dry period. Recharge of groundwater lens also occurs over a large surface due to rainfall. If we consider the sustainable yield estimated for Mahibadhoo, it can be seen that no amount of recharge will help to overcome the problems related to salinization due to increasing use of pumps. In fact, the Maldives receives well over 2000mm of rainfall, which would be more than sufficient to recharge the aquifer. Yet, the aquifer, similar to a rainwater tank, has its maximum capacity limits and cannot overgrow the impact imposed by high rates of abstraction. Therefore, only sustainable rates of pumping can ensure sustainable management of the aquifer. It has been observed from studies carried out for Malé that freshwater exists in pockets. Where the drawn down effect is high, due to the size of pumps and rate of pumping, there is a tendency for the water lens to become more saline at the location where the drawdown is greater. This draw down or lowering of the water table at the point of abstraction, sometimes referred to as the “coning effect” for the freshwater lens, can only be avoided with the use of appropriate technology such as skimming wells and infiltration galleries. The main mitigation measure for the proposed project would be to identify measures to minimize drawdown on the aquifer including the introduction of skimming wells by improving existing wells and enhancing water conservation techniques. The proposed concept of recharge wells is still at a preliminary stage, therefore, it is proposed that the detailed design takes into consideration the findings of this Environmental Impact Assessment, and consultations with the community and relevant government agencies, especially the EPA. It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts. However, these are minor compared to the positive effects of the proposed system. Yet, monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed system would be necessary. Therefore, a monitoring component has been suggested which takes in to consideration, the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component will be adhered to and will allow the assessment of changes due to construction and implementation of the proposed water supply system and aquifer recharge system. Monitoring is specifically focussed on water quality, to include feedwater from the borehole (or other source), collected rainwater, groundwater, product water at designated locations and seawater at brine discharge location (upstream and downstream). Reef or marine ecological monitoring may be considered if the proposed location of the brine discharge or intake is found to be of ecological significance. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to install and operate a piped water supply scheme using rainwater supplemented by desalinated water. However, the recharge well scheme needs to be further evaluated and possibly replaced by or integrated with an alternative scheme such as converting existing household wells to skimming wells to minimize salinization of the groundwater lens.