Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. This is how the residents of Tiapapata are feeling and that has been for more than 20 years.

We all know the facts of this case. The residents which account for more than 30 households have never had access to clean water despite being connected to the water supply grid.

The question here is, what went wrong, who were the people responsible for this and why was such a horrendous action allowed?

There should be an investigation into this and the people who allowed this to happen should be held accountable. Take them to court if the law allows it because this is an act of fraudulence.

People need to be held accountable. But before that, the water supply situation needs to be fixed. The Samoa Water Authority is recipient of a whole lot of aid money to ensure Samoans are supplied with clean water but sadly it seems the money is not being directed for the purpose it was given.

The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific was in the country and one of the things he was looking at was the financing the European Union was giving for clean and sanitary water.

Water is a basic need and the government should be focused on improving the quality of life for all Samoans. Tiapapata is not the only place which falls victim to such a situation. There are schools in the rural area which are closed for almost half a year because of water issues.

When the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport released their five year strategic plan, very little was talked about improving water supply to all Samoans.

Not too far from Upolu are the islands of Manono and Apolima. People living on those islands are also facing water issues. The government has allocated $20 million for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, 25 per cent of that could have made water quality better for Samoans who still cannot access clean and sanitary water.

Funding levels for water and sanitation in Samoa must increase considerably if children are to have universal access by 2030 according to a new UNICEF report.

The UNICEF report Financing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in the Pacific finds that basic sanitation services across 14 Pacific Island Countries including are expanding at just one-eighth the rate required to reach Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.

Too many children are facing a future where they will not have a toilet to use or safe water to drink. Access to clean water and safe sanitation is the cornerstone of anyone’s wellbeing and development.

With the current investment trends, access to at least basic sanitation will not be achieved until the next century, whereas universal access to at least basic water services will never be achieved if coverage levels continue to regress.

Going back to Tiapapata, while we continue to think about what has gone wrong, dirty water supply has a lot of health implications.

Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio. Absent, inadequate, or inappropriately managed water and sanitation services expose individuals to preventable health risks.

Diarrhoea is the most widely known disease linked to contaminated food and water but there are other hazards.

Surface water and groundwater are the only sources of water used for water supply provision in Samoa,  with the exception of rainwater harvesting practiced widely in the Falealupo Peninsula and in otherwise isolated and rural households.

There has been no national assessment to date on the stress put upon the individuals and families.

This is a warning that appears on travel sites; “It's advisable to avoid drinking tap water unless it has been filtered. Visitors to Samoa are advised to drink bottled water or boil tap water for at least two minutes before drinking. Alternatively, bring a high-quality filter or water purification tabs or drops. Bottled water is readily available and affordable.”

What does this say about the quality of water which is flowing in our taps? There is a serious need for the authorities to realign their priorities and get the basic needs of people ensured beginning with clean and sanitary water.