In April 2020 Chuuk State government issued a State of Emergency in response to the serious drought occurring in the region. The drought forced levels of drinking water to a dangerous low, and it gave further damage to the economy and people’s daily lives which already took a big hit from COVID-19. The drought brought about a severe effect on residents’ lives and health; local schools, including APIC’s exchange student partner Xavier High School, saved what potable water they had and shared it with neighboring villages, as well as cut short the school semester.

APIC provided funding for MCT to work together with Chuuk Public Utilities Corporation (CPUC) to set up a project to install water storage tanks in strategic places on the island of Weno, which is home to the largest population and the state’s capital, with the purpose to help prepare for future natural disasters and droughts. This project entailed the installation of 14 water tanks throughout the entire island, ensuring potable water for the roughly 5,000 residents. Of the 14 tanks, one is located nearby the chapel of Xavier High School, allowing for sanitary storage of water and appropriate distribution of water to neighboring villages in times of need. The other tanks are similarly managed, having been placed in locations so that all the main communities and villages have access to water