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Persirtence and Movement in the Environment: here the amount of information
available is extremely limited. In Guam, paraquat, lindane, and 2rlr-D have been
detected in the ground water. In Ameriean Samoa there is considerable concern that no
monitoring of residue levels in the gnound water has been done, in spite of the fact
thal this is Lhe major source of drinking water. Monitoring of persistence and
movement is not easy. For example in Hawaii where considerable monitoring does take
place, the insecticide hept.achlor used in the pineapple industry went undetecled in milk
for over I year (pineapple trash was used as cattle feed).
Legialetion: a few countries have good control over biocide use while others do nol;
many countries have no legislat.ion and no controls. As a consequence biocides that
have been banned from use in various developed countries are sold to and in pacific
countries without controls, e.g. dieldrin in New Caledonia.
Water Supplies
Waler resources are the part of the Pacific Islands environment most susceptible to
pollution. Rivers, streams, wells and ground wdter borehole zupplies can all be contaminated
by chemical, human and animal wastes.
Contamination by ehemicals, such as arsenic found in Solomon lsland streams from wood
treatment operations or biocide residues resulting from excessive use, has so far only been
delected in limited areas' but the extent of monitoring has not been great. More extensive
use of chemicals is occurring and further problems coulrd be found.
Contamination in less dramatic ways is more common. To illustraie this consider the
results of some wate.t quality surveys carried out by the lrstitute of Natural Resources,
University of the South Pacific (Brodie et a!., lg8J).
Vaitupu (Tuvelu) - a low atoll
Mct wells are contaminated to a greater or lesser extent by sea watec and can only
be used for washing. Wells close to the more inhabiLed area aL the southern end of the island
also have high levels of coliform contamination (Total coliforms 1000i100 ml in 5 out of g
wells; >5000/100 ml in 4 out of I wells).
Niue-araisedatoll
The water is very hard wi[h high iron levels and often significant nitrate levels.
Seventeen boreholes and 4 rainwater lanks were examined: results indicated water was
generally of good quality with little salt, and low coliform counts.
Tmgatapu (Kingdom of Tonga) - a raised coral platforrn covered wit.h ash.
Twelve heavily used boreholes were tested. All indicated high calcium hardness as
would be expected. Four showed significant levels of salt water intruiion and 2 showed signs
of bacterial eontamination,
Savo (Solomon Islands) - a small volcanic island
Savo has slrface streams but they cannot be used for drinking purposes as lhey are
very acidic and suphurous due to volcanic activity. Wells are rherefoie dug to provide
drinking water.
Fifty five wells and three streams were examined. Salt levels in most welts are high
and noticeably higher than 1972 values probably as result of Cyclone Bernie in early 1962
(nrore than half the wells tested had chloiide levels )25a mg/!, th; wHo l"inting standard). It
would be interesting to examine the physiological effects m ifre inhabitants of the continued
high salt intake.
All the wells and one stream were conlarninated by coliform organisms (total coliform
count 20 to )6000/100 ml). The level of contamination in rrarly all caJes is not high but it is
still a matter for concern. The source of cont.amination is likely to be surface run-off into