Word from the water bearer of Stratford | Taranaki News | Local News in Taranaki

AFTER organising the donation of a special water-plant to tsunami-ravaged Samoa in December, Stratford’s John Coplestone is pleased to report things are going extremely well for the island’s communities.
After a period of thorough and expensive compliance processing in New Zealand, the plant was eventually shipped to Samoa and installed at Palalaua College in Si’umu province; and not a moment too soon, according to John.
“Communities on the island were absolutely devastated by the tsunami; entire villages wiped out. It was bloody jaw-dropping,” says John.
“Yet, in a relatively short time, electricity supply was fairly well restored and temporary accommodation erected. However, the new villages were still having to get their water supply trucked in, and huge amounts of bottled water were being consumed – it was never going to be a sustainable solution.”
Palalaua College presented as great a need as any place touched by the tsunami; especially since the tsunami had wiped out a number of colleges in the area, swelling Palalaua’s regular population of 100 students to 800 overnight.
“There was a fresh water supply across the road from the college and we were fortunate enough to receive a lot of donated piping for reticulation. This meant we could get water where it needed to go in and around the college premises, and on down to a nearby village.”
Despite having all the equipment necessary, the project still needed organisational, administrative and engineering support at the Samoan end; this came through the magnificent efforts of the Samoan Water Authority (SWA).”
“The SWA were fantastic. It was a difficult situation that they were dealing with; tradesmen had lost their tools in the flooding meaning some of the smallest tasks associated became that much more difficult.”
However, according to John in the face of all the adversity and scarcity, those involved really pulled together, with people from the community, volunteers and even students doing what they could to help.
Eventually, the plant became fully operational and to demonstrate their gratitude, an official handover ceremony was organised by the school, with a number of Samoan dignitaries and High Chiefs attending.
Also in attendance was the Samoan deputy prime minister, Misa Telefoni Retzlaff, and a television crew from Samoa TV.
“It was a great honour for us to have such a ceremony organised for us. I was conferred the title of Matai Salevau; ‘Matai’ being the traditional term for Chief.”
While the plant itself can be relocated if necessary, presently it is fixed in place at the college and it is expected it will remain there for the time being.
And while things in Samoa are moving ahead at a great pace, John believes everybody still has a long way to go to get things finished.
“Donating the plant was definitely the right thing to do and the community up there is extremely grateful.
“I’m glad Taranaki was able to make this great and worthy contribution to the people of Samoa,” says John.