India, Sept. 7 -- Kiribati's struggle to secure safe drinking water is intensifying as rising seas, saltwater intrusion, droughts and extreme rainfall put fragile freshwater sources under growing pressure, Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said in a recent account from the Pacific nation.
Freshwater under pressure
Kiribati consists of 33 low-lying atolls where about 138,000 people depend heavily on shallow groundwater and rainwater. Increasingly salty wells, prolonged dry periods and flooding are reducing access to reliable supplies.
Saltwater intrusion can contaminate groundwater and make wells undrinkable.
Heavy rainfall can overwhelm sanitation systems and contaminate water sources.
Droughts can cause rainwater ta...