Sludge treatment from non-collective sewage pumping on Lifou

The wastewater sanitation networks are almost non-existent New Caledonia’s main land (except from the capital area)and in the Loyalties islands. The consequences of domestic effluents in urban and peri-urban areas are very dangerous: diffusion of infectious and vector-borne diseases, proliferation of pests and breeding grounds. Further information can be found in the Strategic Objective number 4 of the Shared Water Policy (PEP) led by the New Caledonian Government:

Pollution/Sanitation: "Zero discharge of untreated wastewater by 2045", and in “Sustainable Development Goal #6: Clean Water and Sanitation”.

In order to improve the sanitation facilities performance, PEP is working with PROTEGE in the Loyalty Islands where wastewater treatment systems are lacking. The installation of sludge drying beds with lagooning, such as those already implemented on Païamboué in Koné, is the selected solution.

To have a better understanding of the type of infrastructure before its implementation on Lifou, an on-site visit of the sludge treatment process on Païamboué was organised on 30 March with the SIVOM VKP and the delegation of elected officials and technicians of the Commune of Lifou, accompanied by the Loyalty Islands Province, MadamMayor of Maré and a technician.  This allowed discussions regarding site management.

To carry out this project, the provincial authority has receivedfinancial support from the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) via the PROTEGE project and from the French Office of Biodiversity (OFB).

Some members of the delegation that came to visit the site of Païamboué in the Northern Province.