UNSW water team supports revitalisation and resilience on Atauro Island, Timor-Leste
UNSW sponsored an impactful permaculture initiative in Timor-Leste, helping to improve water security for local communities.
Published on the 06 February 2025
Three members of the UNSW water community had the opportunity to participate in the first regional PermaYouth camp on Atauro Island, Timor-Leste, on 21-24 January, 2025.
Located off the coast of Dili, Atauro is surrounded by vibrant coral reef ecosystems. However, increased water scarcity has left many villagers vulnerable to uncertain water supply. Permatil, organiser of the PermaYouth Camps, has been working with communities to restore springs, to increase their ability to retain water and to enhance the reliability of water supply year-round..
Throughout the January camp, UNSW鈥檚 Greg Leslie, Martin Andersen and Philippa Higgins worked with academics from the National University of Timor-Leste (UNTL), Permatil and the Atauro island municipality leadership on initiatives related to groundwater, including groundwater monitoring and investigation of suitable locations for the installation of groundwater production wells.
PermaYouth Camp attendees were aged between 17 and 35 years old, representing all districts and areas of society, including young women, people with disability and people who identify as LGBTIQ+. Throughout the camp, under the guidance of Martin Andersen and Philippa Higgins, camp participants and partners took baseline measurements of groundwater depth, salinity and temperature at seven locations across the island. Martin and Philippa coordinated the delivery and installation of groundwater instruments, which participants installed at five key locations to help monitor impacts of the water conservation and catchment protection activities implemented by Permatil and municipality leadership.
Martin said that many springs across Timor-Leste that supply water to rural communities have been experiencing declining flow, and that Permatil and its Executive Director Ego Lemos believe that this is partly related to poor land management.
鈥淭he focus is on restoring spring flow by slowing water runoff,鈥 said Martin.
鈥淭his is done by creating shallow infiltration basins in the mountains, through the terracing of slopes, by installing leaky weirs in streams and by replanting trees to stabilise catchments.鈥
He also said that it was impressive to watch the participants in the PermaYouth Camp in action.
鈥淭hey are really making it happen!鈥
Over the next 18 months, members of the UNSW water community will continue to work with partners on Atauro island to build capacity in water resource management initiatives including rainwater capture, groundwater allocation and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives.
鈥淭he UNSW Global Water Institute team is hoping to contribute hydrologic science to quantity, show how these land and water management systems work and in turn how they can be improved,鈥 said Martin.
The December camp on Atauro Island was the second PermaYouth Camp UNSW has been involved with, with the UNSW Engineering Societal Impact and Translation Team having funded seven UNSW students聽to participate in the National PermaYouth Camp in Ermera, Timor-Leste, in October 2024.