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Item Environmental impact assessment report for Hulhumale’ swimming area and land based facilities development project(2010-03) Land and Marine Environment Resources group Pvt LtdThe non technical summary outlines the findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed development of swimming track and associated land based facilities. The proponent of the project is Housing Development Corporation Plc. The proposed project involves development of a swimming track and associated land based facilities at the eastern side of Hulhumale. The swimming tracks will be 20m by 25m. The total length of both tracks is 50m. The plate form and access jetty will be constructed using floats. Land based area includes, restaurants, kitchens, food outlets, toilets, changing facilities and park (including a small children’s park) A scoping meeting to discuss the development proposal and determine the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the EIA report was held between the Client (Housing Development Corporation Plc), LaMer Group Pvt Ltd as the EIA Consultant, Ministry of Housing, Transport and Environment (water and sanitation section of EPA) and representatives from Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as the Regulator on 23rd November 2009. Data collection or field was carried out during January 2010 for assessment of existing environment. Since the scope of work of the proposed project is small, existing environment data was limited to reef health, general wave, tide condition and seawater quality assessment. The water quality assessment done at the proposed swimming track area revealed alarming levels of Enterococci levels which was probably due to high number of users and disregard to general hygienic values (showering before entry to water). Also it has to be noted that an outfall pipe is location near the swimming track area and this may have some level of leakage (although close inspection showed none. Alternatives are given for location of swimming track area, since contamination of seawater is major social impact. Assessing alternatives the location identified by HDC Plc during consultation with HDC seems to be a better candidate as a location for swimming track. Mitigation measures are discussed for the construction and operational stage of the swimming track area only.Item Post-tsunami infrastructure rehabilitation project : rehabilitation of 6 selected harbors : social and environmental impact assessment for the rehabilitation of the harbor in Makunudhoo island, Haa Dhaal atoll(2007-11) SOGREAH Consultants; Water SolutionsThis report discusses the findings of a social and environmental impact study undertaken by Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and SOGREAH consultants of France upon request from Ministry of Construction and Public Infrastructure. The project involves the rehabilitation of the existing harbour in Makunudhoo, Haa Dhaal Atoll with improved infrastructures. This project is initiated by the government of Maldives with funding from Agence Française de Dévelopement” (AFD) as part of the Tsunami rehabilitation programme. The harbour of Makunudhoo has been damaged to various extents and requires repair and upgrading, including deepening the harbour basin, and increasing slightly the size. A detail assessment of the environmental and social conditions was assessed based on which a rehabilitation project has been proposed. This EIA has been prepared to assess the social and environmental impacts of this proposed rehabilitation project. Major environmental impacts of the project have been identified as resulting mainly from dredging and disposal of dredged materials. Dredging will be undertaken in the harbour basin and to some extent in the access channel. In view of the assessment, the environmental damages to marine resources have not been considered major due to the limited boundary of the project and also due to confined nature of the project. The impacts are likely to be felt on an estimated 5% of the lagoon and reef‐flat of that extensive reef system. These environmental impacts were assessed for both construction and operation phase of the project. Mitigation measures for these anticipated impacts have been identified and outlined in detail, including sedimentation control methods and other measures. These mitigation measures will have to be followed in order to minimize environmental damage. Stakeholder consultations were held with various groups, including the community and the client in order to incorporate the socio‐ economic components in the project. The proposed rehabilitation plans for Makunudhoo has been prepared after considering the needs and requirements from the community by assessing and incorporating the outcomes from the extensive community consultations held during the data collection stage. It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts, especially when dredging is undertaken. However, these minor negative impacts out weight the socioeconomic benefits gained by rehabilitating the harbour. As a result, a comprehensive monitoring component has been suggested which takes in to consideration, the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component will be adhered and will allow the assessment of long term changes, despite the limited nature of the impact. The most important consideration is the socioeconomic impacts that have been assessed mainly as positive in nature. Not only they are positive, but most importantly in the long term. Therefore, it appears justified from a technical and from an environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed rehabilitation project if the island is to absorb the economic gains achieved by the project.Item Environmental impact assessment : for the removal of seagrass beach replenishment activities in Herathera Island Resort, Addu atoll, Maldives(2010-09) CDE ConsultingThe Herathera Island has been experiencing seaweed overgrowth for a number of years, even before construction began on the island. Similarly, the island does not have a natural beach system which is suitable for a resort product. An attempt was made in 2007 and 2008 to remedy these shortcomings by removing seagrass and undertaking beach replenishment. Unfortunately, the beach replenishment design and implementation was flawed and new seagrass colonies have started to emerge. The island is currently is a worse condition, particularly its beach system. These environmental issues are decreasing the economic value of the tourism product being offered Resort and is reaching a point where the product may be unviable. Immediate action is required to address these issues, thus, a new and improved beach replenishment and seagrass removal programme. The proposed project involves the removal of sea grass colonies and beach replenishment. Details of the proposed project components are outlined below. a) Sea grass removal The primary component of the project is seagrass removal. Seagrass areas covering approximately 200,000 – 250,000 m2 is proposed to be cleared (see Site plan in Appendix B), 100,000 m3 of dredge waste. TwoEIA for the proposed Seagrass Removal and Beach Replenishment Activities in Herathera Island Resort Prepared by: CDE Consultancy Page| ix methods have been proposed for the project: 1) using a sand pump; 2) using an excavator and; 3) soft measures. b) Beach Replenishment Beach replenishment has been considered as part of the project to mitigate the severe erosion on the island. The dredged waste from the sea grass removal activity, after cleaning and sorting, will be used to replenish the a 2900 m beach up to 10 m from the existing shore line. Additional sand will be dredged from borrow areas within the lagoon using sand pumps and excavators. Replenishment will be carried out using a three staged process. The first stage will collect and filter sediments on designated sites. The second stage will transfer the cleaned sediments to severe erosion zones using trucks. The final stage will profile the beach using fine sand. For the direct replenishment, sand will be pumped or transferred via barges to a designated location, where loaders and trucks and move the material.Item Initial environmental examination for a coral frame project(2010-07) Systems Engineering and Marine ConsultingThe potential environmental impacts of the development of a coral propagation project on the island of H.A. Manafaru are assessed. Manafaru is leased to Beach House Maldives and is operated by the Waldorf Astoria collection of the Hilton group. The assessment exposes the solutions and preferred alternatives as well as mitigation measures to minimize any negative impacts whilst trying to derive the maximum positive impacts from the project. Manafaru has very little coral cover after being degraded by the 1998 bleaching event. As it is important to be proactive in reef restoration, the resort management wishes to enhance the value of the island by propagating corals using the coral frame technique. The frames will be installed near the water villas and sparsely on the house reef. Coral fragments will be attached by a marine biologist and will develop into full colonies within a few years. Coral fragments from the house reef will provide a small number of fragments and will heal rapidly. Preference will be given to damaged colonies. 136 frames of 1m2 will be initially deployed, and after the first batch, the existing frames will provide fragments for transplantation. The project will start as soon as approval is granted, and as this is a long term project, it could span several years before completion. The island of Manafaru is located inside the northernmost atoll of the Maldives, and is subject to high winds and warming waters, which may be a cause of low coral survival. As the island is located in the middle of the atoll, the waves reaching its shores are diffraction of swells, and wind waves. As the energy encountered are of second magnitude, and the reef does not form a proper crest, the waves reach the island with less obstruction than most areas. Sand displacement depends on the predominant influence during different monsoons, forming a bulging beach rather than a sand tip.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.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 Environment impact assessment for the proposed drainage system development for flood control in the taro fields at Fiyoary Island, Gaafu Dhaal Atoll(2012-12) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out the proposed Drainage system at Taro fields of GDh Fiyoary. The proponent of this project is Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture The project is to bring many socio economic benefits to the people of Fiyoary as during flooding SW monsoon the wetland area where the Taro and Reed fields are present gets flooded damaging the crops. As Taro cultivating is a livelihood of most women in Fiyoary and Reed/Hau is used for traditional mat weaving it impacts the the whole mat weaving community, namely craftswomen from Rathafandhoo and Gadhoo. The project aims to ensure a drainage system that could manage the water in wetland during floods. All project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012. The project components are 1(mobilisation) equipment and construction materials will be brought to the project site, 2(Site preparation) this includes vegetation clearance and storage of construction equipment and machinery, (3) Drainage construction and decommissioning. The project duration is expected to be between 4-8 weeks and a total of 15 staffs are required for the construction works. Significant impacts that are expected to arise from the project include (1) impacts on groundwater, seawater and wetland water quality, (2) Health and safety risks as the working environment is a marshy land. (3) Loss of Terrestrial flora and fauna (4) Loss to biodiversity including birds. All these impacts can be minimized with proper mitigation measures recommended in the report. On the other hand, significant positive impacts to the local economy and traditional mat weaving community of Gadhoo and Rathafandhoo are also anticipated due to this project. The main mitigation measures include carrying out construction with propoer safety standards while following strict environmental protocols. This includes storage of oil and grease and other construction materials in proper bunded locations. Storing materials at a certain distance and proper supervision by an experienced professional at all times. Vegetation clearance impacts can be minimised by keeping the vegetation clearance to absolute minimum and replanting the removed vegetation where possible. Alternatives evaluated for project activities are alternative drainage pipe sites depending on the topography, alternative drainage pipeline network and alternative infiltration system design and size. The “No Project” option has also been explored but is not deemed preferable, due to the significant economic opportunities and environmental and economic impacts caused if the project does not proceed. The monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the ground water, wetland water quality and marine water quality. In addition to monitor impacts of expulsion of water to the marine environment beach profiles and reef health checks are included in the monitoring plan. The management plan for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. In conclusion, this project has been designed in conformance to the relevant laws and regulations of Maldives. The most significant impacts are expected to be impacts on vegetation and ground water quality of the island. Anticipated long-term impacts of the operational phase can and should be managed by proper implementation of proposed mitigation measures. The project commencement is highly anticipated by the locals as the damage to Taro fields is an annual event which causes immeasurable damage to the island socioeconomically.