Centralised water systems in the saibai island

[Saemah Binte YousufParticipant]

Hello there , my team and I are designing a rainwater filtration system, our original plan was to do it decentralized (so per household) but we think our chosen design would be better suited as centralized . May I ask why have the previous centralized filtration system wasn’t successful ? What type of centralized filtration system was it? Would making a centralized kiosk area make accessing water to difficult/inconvenient for the community?

[Tom NguyenKeymaster]

Hi Saemah and team

Central potable water supply via the large lined central lagoon and secondary uncovered lagoon catchments is treated through a media filtration unit (5 micron and 1 micron) and chlorination. This system works well, however from Jul 2025, TSIRC’s water engineering department have a new requirement to keep turbidity below 1 NTU, which will no doubt necessitate treatment system upgrades.

The local challenge with water supply is both access (lack of availability) and quality. If more household level rainwater harvesting systems are introduced, this improves access but student ideas for cheap, effective, scalable filtration systems for these household tanks are needed.

A centralised “kiosk area” could be an idea, but you’d need to consider
– How would this system connect to the surrounding household harvesting tanks?
– Review the 360 interactives and township. Given the geography, would it be feasible to have a system support 4-5 households?
– Would locals be open to the idea of walking 100-200m for potable water? Would you?
– It’s a supportive community on Saibai, where resources are shared. Could centralised kiosk areas bring back a greater sense of community and cultural connection?

[Ethan ChinParticipant]

Hello Tom

My group are doing a similar solution regarding water source/treatment. Does the central lagoon provide enough water already?

I am concerned that individual tanks are not enough during the dry season, how much do the current rainwater tank users rely on rainwater compared to the lagoon?

If the central lagoon is used as backup its filter needs to be upgraded anyway plus the new rainwater tanks with filters, then would this make the solution too broad because it considers harvesting and treatment?

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Ethan,

If you haven’t already done so, please consult the Sustainable Land Use Plan, Part 2, Section 6.1 Water, especially Section 6.1.2, Overview of Current Situation (pg. 111). This document contains valuable insights regarding the lagoon’s capacity and its design for the annual dry season. You can access it in our Resources Section under TSIRC Publications.

As Tom pointed out in his previous post, the local water supply faces challenges concerning both access (limited availability) and quality. I suggest that you evaluate these factors with your team and consider the advantages and disadvantages of implementing additional rainwater tanks.

I hope you find this information helpful.

Regards,
Jean

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