Many people in the Pacific do not have access to adequate toilets, and climate change is making the situation worse.

The Pacific Islands may conjure up images of vast coastlines and picturesque landscapes. But while this a part of the world may seem like paradise, many locals face a serious public health problem.

By Pacific Nationsalmost half one million people they live in informal urban settlements that lack adequate sanitation, which can result in limited access to functioning toilets.

This has an impact on health, well-being, education and livelihoods, especially for girlschildren, elderly people and disabled people.

Our recent study published in the journal Nature Pure water NPJWe examined the state of sanitation in several informal urban settlements in two Pacific countries – Fiji and Vanuatu. Our findings show that this is an issue that requires urgent attention.

Field research

We worked with researchers from the University of the South Pacific to survey households and examine sanitation infrastructure. Our team surveyed 393 households in nine informal urban settlements in the capitals of Fiji (Suva) and Vanuatu (Port Vila).

These housing estates are developing when people decide on uninhabited land that has not been planned for development, often due to a scarcity of reasonably priced housing options. Informal urban settlements often lack access to basic services and infrastructure, corresponding to sewage systems, electricity, paved roads and waste collection.

We found that although piped water is available, the majority of households (between 56% and 100% of households in each settlement) still depend on unsafe sanitation to manage human waste. Many use poorly constructed dry pits – for instance, a plinth over a hole in the ground – or cesspools. These toilets have no plumbing and do not use running water for flushing. All are positioned on-site (in or near the home), meaning that waste, treated or untreated, stays in the settlement.

In addition to on a regular basis challenges, we found that one in three households loses access to functioning toilets during heavy rains, cyclones or floods. Dry well systems are 4 to eight times more likely to be damaged during climate events than water systems in the same settlements.

We also found that secure waste management, particularly from septic tanks and pits, poses significant challenges for residents. Even when toilets can be found and functioning properly, there is often no secure and sustainable way to manage waste that accumulates in pits and tanks.

In many cases, sediment is dumped into open areas in the settlement, into local rivers, or seeps into the ground. This can contaminate water sources and create serious environmental and public health hazards.

In addition, we found that cyclones and heavy rains destroy sanitation systems, causing sewage to overflow and contaminating water resources.

Communities in danger

Melanesian countries, including Vanuatu and Fiji, are particularly vulnerable to serious climatic hazardswhich makes it crucial that the sanitation infrastructure in informal urban settlements is able to withstand these environmental hazards.

Poor sanitary conditions in these areas leads to the spread diseases corresponding to diarrheaintestinal worms and trachoma. Studies show that improving water and sanitation systems significantly reduce the risk child deaths and deaths attributable to diarrhea.

Estimates from the World Health Organization and UNICEF indicate that lower than 3% urban population in Fiji and Vanuatu use unimproved or unsafe sanitation facilities – that is, facilities that do not allow for the secure collection, treatment and disposal of human waste.

This figure contrasts sharply with our finding that the majority of households in informal urban settlements depend on unsafe sanitation conditions. It highlights the need for improved monitoring strategies that distinguish informal settlements from formally planned areas.

How can we solve this problem?

Toilets alone won’t solve the problem. Communities need a comprehensive approach that addresses sanitation management at every stage. This will include creating a whole service chain that ensures reliable waste removal, treatment and disposal, and is resilient to disasters.

This means constructing local expertise, supporting local service providers, ensuring systems are well maintained and promoting community ownership of those systems to ensure long-term sustainability.

In informal settlements, the provision of those services is rather more difficult than in formal urban areas, mainly due to the uncertain land tenure situation and limited access to adequate infrastructure, which makes the work of service providers difficult.

However, a significant slice of the urban population of the Pacific living in informal settlementsfinding effective ways to safely manage sanitation conditions in these communities is essential.

This sixth sustainable development goal goals to provide clean water and sanitation for all. Addressing the sanitation crisis in the Pacific Islands is about protecting health, restoring dignity, supporting livelihoods and constructing resilience at the household and community level, that are at the frontline of an increasingly uncertain future.