Water, Worship, and Action: Churches Strengthening Community Water Management in Solomon Islands

Author: Dr Mark Love, Research Fellow, IWC

In the remote villages of the Solomon Islands, where clean water is often hard to come by and government services are few and far between, an unlikely player is stepping up to fill the gap — the church.

A new report from the Pacific Community Water Management Plus (PaCWaM+) project — a partnership between the International WaterCentre, Griffith University,  The University of the South Pacific (Fiji & Vanuatu) and Solomon Islands National University (SINU), supported by the Australian Government’s Water for Women Fund — reveals just how impactful the collaboration between churches and communities can be.

From monthly cleanups to sermons on water stewardship, local faith leaders have become unexpected champions of safe water access.

The Challenge: Broken systems and a broken model

Rural Solomon Islands ranks among the lowest 20 countries globally for access to basic drinking water — and the situation is getting worse, not better. In 2000, around 76% of the rural population had access to basic drinking water. By 2022, that had dropped to just 59% (WHO/UNICEF, 2022).

Government systems meant to support rural water — particularly the RWASH program — have struggled due to budget shortfalls, COVID-19 disruptions, and unfilled staffing positions. In 2024, RWASH didn’t build a single new water system. One senior official called this “appalling” and “an example of over-promising and under-delivering”​ (see further Love et al., 2024). Meanwhile, more than half of existing water systems are estimated to be non-functional​ (MMERE, 2017).

The dominant model for rural water management – known as Community Water Management (CWM) – relies heavily on volunteer-run water committees. But these committees often lack the training, tools, and support they need. Research from around the world demonstrates that communities need some kind of ongoing post-construction  support if water systems are to reach their designed life-span and provide reliable and safe water services (Bauman, 2006; Hutchings et al., 2015, 2017; Lockwood and Smits, 2011; World Bank, 2017).

Regularly cleaning tap stands and establishing waste regimes (bins) were key water management actions listed in many Action Plans (e.g., Goveo, Baolo, Sapalei, Kongulavata)

Enter the Church: A local solution hiding in plain sight

In a region where over 90% of people identify as Christian, churches are not just places of worship — they’re pillars of community life. Pastors, deacons, and church groups are often more present and trusted than politicians or NGOs (Forman, 1982; McDougall, 2003).

Recognising this and building on earlier formative research and consultation with faith leaders in Solomon Islands (Love & Souter, 2022), researchers from International WaterCentre (Dr Mark Love) and SINU (Collin Benjamin, Sheilla Funubo and Dr Hugo Bugoro) initiated an action research pilot under the PaCWaM+ Phase II applied research project. The idea? Test whether faith-based organisations could serve as a “plus” in the struggling Community Water Management model (CWM+)​.

Workshops were held in Isabel and Western provinces in 2023, where faith leaders from multiple denominations – Anglican Church of Melanesia, United Church, South Seas Evangelical Church, Seventh Day Adventist  – created practical Action Plans for improving water systems in their parishes (11 in Western Province and 7 in Isabel Province).

Pictured above is a group photo from the community workshop in Western Province (United Church, South Sea Evangelical Church, Seventh Day Adventist). The title photo is a group photo from the community workshop in Isabel Province (Anglican Church of Melanesia). 

The Impact: From pulpit to pipes

Between nine and eleven months after the workshop, monitoring was conducted in nine of the eighteen communities where Action Plans were developed to see what had happened. The results were encouraging, with 66% of proposed actions being implemented:

1. Raising Awareness

Sermons became platforms for teaching water conservation. In Buala, Tiqiro, and Tsunami Valley, priests reminded congregations about responsible water use and screened videos after services (Water is Everyone’s Business video).

2. Community Fundraising

Fundraising was undertaken in 3 villages (Buala, Lembu and Kongulavata). In Kongulavata and Lembu, the church supported fundraising that led to significant water infrastructure and service delivery improvements. In Lembu and Buala, bake sales and “coffee nights” became vehicles for maintenance funding.​

3. Hands-On Maintenance

In several villages, including Sapalei and Tiqiro, regular clean-up days around taps and water sources were initiated — often led by church elders or church youth groups.​

4. New and Stronger Water Committees

Three communities formed new water committees, integrating church structures to ensure representation from women and youth. In Baolo, where no committee existed, the church itself became the interim water manager​.

5. Training and Capacity Building

Although RWASH struggled to meet training demand, church leaders in Buala helped coordinate a successful community workshop. In other villages, pastors reinforced key messages during church activities​.

In Lembu, the community installed a new tap stand in zone 3 – an area of the village where households struggled with access to reliable water.

Challenges along the way

Nevertheless, there is no silver-bullet solution. The research revealed several limitations, namely:

• Inconsistent Funding: Many communities rely on one-off fundraising. Regular water fees remain hard to institutionalise.
• Short Leadership Tenures: Some denominations (e.g., SDA) rotate pastors annually, disrupting continuity.
• Denominational Tensions: Especially in Western Province, mixed-church villages sometimes faced internal conflicts that slowed collective action.
• Old Infrastructure: Some water systems are beyond repair — maintenance helps, but full rehabilitation is needed​, acting as a disincentive for collective action.

Despite these challenges, the church fills an important gap — providing motivation, structure, and trust where state presence is limited or absent and, as demonstrated by the results, has had a tangible impact on water management actions.

What This Means: Working with the grain

This action research is a textbook example of “working with the grain” — aligning development initiatives with existing, culturally embedded institutions (Booth, 2012; Cassells, 2019; Hassall, 2012; Whaley et al., 2021). Rather than parachuting in external models, this approach partners with trusted community actors (churches) to support water governance in a locally meaningful way. As one participant said:

“Church involvement is important because people respect the church. When the church says something, people obey.”​

In addition to including water management and WASH information in sermons, in several villages signage was erected (e.g.,  Tsunami valley, water rules; Bula, water management messaging). 

Looking Ahead: Recommendations for scale-up

Based on the results, the report recommends:

• Formal partnerships between churches, RWASH, and provincial governments
• Training programs for pastors and clergy in water governance and infrastructure basics
• Financial management support through church-led programs to increase transparency and water fee success
• Encouraging cross-denominational collaboration to promote unity and reduce fragmentation

Conclusion

The PaCWaM+ research makes a compelling case that churches are a practical, underutilised, and contextually appropriate resource for rural water management in Solomon Islands.

When taps break, when water committees collapse, when maintenance slips through the cracks, the church is still there. Preaching not just salvation, but stewardship. Not just faith, but function.

In Solomon Islands, water may be everyone’s business — but it turns out the church is pretty good at running the meeting.

References

Baumann, E. 2006. Do operation and maintenance pay? Waterlines, 25(1), 10–12.

Benjamin, C., Funubo, S., Bugoro, H., Panda, N., Souter, R.T., and M. Love. 2023. Faith-based

Organisations and community water management in Solomon Islands: Results of an action research intervention in Isabel and Western Province. International WaterCentre, Griffith University: Nathan, Australia; Solomon Islands National University: Honiara, Solomon Islands. December 2024.

Booth, D. 2012. Development as a Collective Action Problem. Addressing the real challenges of African governance. London, UK: Overseas Development Institute.

Cassells, R.M. 2019. Engaging with churches to address development-related challenges in Solomon Islands. Sites: A Journal of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies, 16(1).

Forman, C.W. 1972. Missionaries and Colonialism: the case of the New Hebrides in the twentieth century, Journal of Church and State, 14(1): 75-92.

Hassall, G. 2012. Faith-based organisations and social policy in Melanesia. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 47(3):389-406

Hutchings, P., Chan, M.Y., Cuadrado, L., Ezbakhe, F., Mesa, B., Tamekawa, C. and Franceys, R., 2015. A systematic review of success factors in the community management of rural water supplies over the past 30 years. Water Policy , 17(5), pp.963-983.

Hutchings, P., Franceys, R., Mekala, S., Smits, S., James, A.J., 2017. Revising the history, concepts and typologies of community management for rural drinking water supply in India. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 33, 152-169.

Lockwood, H, & Smits, S. 2011. SupporQng rural water supply: Moving towards a service delivery approach. IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre and Aguaconsult, Warwickshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Love, M. and Souter, R. 2022. A Missing Link? Faith Based Organisations and rural community water management in the Pacific Islands: A scoping study with a focus on Solomon Islands. Internal document for Water for Women Partners.

McDougall, D. 2003. “Fellowship and Citizenship as Models of National Community: United Church Women’s Fellowship in Ranongga, Solomon Islands,” Oceania, 74(1–2): 61–80.

Whaley, L., Cleaver, F. and Mwathunga, E. 2021. Flesh and bones: Working with the grain to improve community management of water. World Development, 138, p.105286.

WHO/UNICEF 2022. Joint Monitoring Programme: Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE) 2017. National Water Resources and Sanitation Implementation Plan (2017-2033), Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, National Intersectoral Water Coordination Committee (NIWCC). Solomon Islands Government.