The objective of the project is to provide an adequate and reliable alternative supply of water for villagers of Marigot, which will serve as a back-up system in the event of natural disasters such as a storms, hurricanes, floods and drought rendering the regular source unusable.

Marigot is a rural community located on the northeast of Dominica, about 30 miles from the capital city, Roseau and less than a mile from the Melville Hall Airport. Agriculture and fishing have traditionally been the main sources of livelihood for the villagers who number about three thousand, seven hundred (3,700) persons. However with the downturn of the Banana Industry, a more diversified economy is emerging, comprising of services and small businesses.
The topography of Marigot is relatively rugged, being characterised by several hills and valleys interspersed by expanses of flat land. This topography has given rise to several springs, rivers and streams which traverse the landscape. Marigot Bay was an important shipping port for the northeast and a crane existed for moving cargo. However it is now the site of the main Fishing Facility for the north east.


Marigot is vulnerable to the risks of hurricanes and storms which can destroy agricultural crops and the economic base of the community, as well as the forest which protect rivers and watersheds. Hurricanes and storms also produce heavy rains which cause flooding of the water sources, resulting in the temporary shutdown of the water supply system. During the last thirty years, this problem has exacerbated due to deforestation caused by subsistence farmers who use the traditional slash and burn method for land cultivation. This vulnerability of the water supply system is expected to increase in the future as storms and hurricanes become more intense and frequent in the future.
More recently, the community has been affected by pests and drought conditions which have severely affected crop productivity. This situation is also expected to worsen in the future as temperatures become warmer during traditional rainy periods and vice versa. These natural climate change risks are exacerbated by the non-climate change risks such as deforestation which is related to poverty.

Brief Project Description

The project site is a spring and small watercourse known as Geoffrey Gutter. This is one of the tributaries of Bay River which traverses the community and has its mouth south of the Fisheries Complex. Geoffrey gutter is a perennial stream which has a constant flow of clean, clear water from the spring. It is a daily source of water for villagers who cannot afford pipe bourne water. However it is heavily used for drinking water during periods of water shortage especially after storms and hurricanes. The spring is centrally located in a section of the village called Over Gutter and is less than 100 meters from the village road. Access is via an unpaved footpath which is difficult to access during rainy weather. Geoffrey Gutter Spring has always been a fascination and pride for villagers of Marigot due to its constant flow of clean, clear waters. The project proposal seeks to enhance, protect and develop this water source as a climate change adaptation measure for the community.

Phase 1 of the project will involve the construction of an intake and tank for storage of the spring water. This water supply will be readily available during periods when the main water supply system is shut down. The project will also involve the upgrade of the access to the site.
Phase 2 of the project will involve the purchase of a small plant for bottling of the spring water. This will provide livelihood opportunities for some villagers.
The project outputs are:
1. Construction of a water intake and storage tank with sufficient capacity to store three (3) days supply of water; size/gallons
2. Construction of about 100 m of motorable access to the spring.
3. Re-vegetate the watershed and
4. Installation of a small bottling plant.
5. Education sessions for villagers

The outcome will be a reliable water supply for the village in the event of a maintenance shutdown of the DOWASCO system and in the event of disaster when the DOWASCO system is damaged or must be shut down.

1. Insufficient In-kind support from the community. ? This will be overcome by organizing community work days on weekends and holidays.
2. Insufficient support from local government - The project document will be submitted to the Local Government Commissioner at an early stage after completion of the conceptual report.
3. Implementation hampered and delayed by weather elements - The planned date for project execution is the first quarter of 2014.


? Global Environments Benefits Reasoning

Sustainable community management of natural resources in the face of climate change promoted

Indicators
1. Percentage of population in relevant areas engaged in sustainable community management activities;
2. Number of measures deployed as part of sustainable resource management activities;
3. Number of stakeholders (e.g. families/households) benefiting from sustainable resource management activities.
4. Success of sustainable resource management interventions in securing livelihoods and protecting resources (QBS).
There could also be a system of allocation during severe drought to ensure all households and institutions benefit/have access to a minimum quantity of water.

There will be a reliable supply of water for the community for up to three (3) days, following a hurricane or storm which causes the existing water supply system to be shut down.


? Way in which climate change can threaten ecosystems under which GEB will be secured are:
Destruction of forests during storms and hurricanes
Flooding of rivers and water course during heavy rains
Landslides triggered by heavy rains
Water shortages during droughts


? Way in which the project reduce these risks to ecosystems are:
Reforestation of watersheds and river course
Construction of intake and water storage facility