Achievement Report Curieuse March 2017

Report Title
Curieuse Base Gets a Plumbing Upgrade

Objective
Continue to minimize our environmental impact on Curieuse and raise awareness of environmental
issues amongst volunteers and visitors.

Summary
Over the past couple of months work has been ongoing to replace, expand and improve the
plumbing system on the GVI Curieuse base. The aging old system did not well serve the needs of the
expedition and was prone to leaks, and this upgrade will contribute greatly to our efforts to make
best use of our limited fresh water resources, and increase the efficiency of the expedition.

Report
One of the most special aspects of the GVI expedition on Curieuse Island is the fact that we are living
on an isolated island with no public infrastructure. We live a completely off grid existence and need
to be self-sufficient in every regard. Our electricity comes from a self-contained solar power system,
any supplies need to be shipped by ourselves in our trusty boat Dexter, and we do all our own

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maintenance ourselves here on site. It is extremely satisfying knowing that we are responsible for
our own survival here, and that we make the most efficient use of the resources available to us.

One of the most crucial resources we can't do without is of course fresh water. Our supply comes
from an underground spring some distance up the hillside from the GVI base, and the supply
originally came direct from a reservoir constructed for the old leper colony which closed in the
1960s, which captures and stores water from the spring. This system had aging pipework and
connections and only extended as far as the first building on base. This meant that any water
needed elsewhere on base had to be carried in buckets, or a hose connected and filled before the
water could be drawn and used, with the result that some water would be wasted each time. An
additional problem is that despite a plentiful supply during the Northwest Monsoon wet season,
with the onset of the dry season around the beginning of April the hillside stream begins to slow,
and as the dry season progresses the supply begins to dry up.

A permanent system of pipes, valves and extra storage tanks was designed to reduce the amount of
water wasted, and to increase the storage capacity so that the wet season supply will last much
longer into the dry season. The backbone of the new system consists of a pipe running the length of
the base along the back path, which is fed by a header tank part of the way up to the reservoir. The
header tank provides significant extra storage and a consistent water pressure. At points along the
system there are branches to supply various other storage tanks and outlets. Each branch has its
own shutoff valve to allow only the required water to be drawn, and to allow maintenance without
draining the entire system. A further large storage tank has also been installed behind the volunteer
dormitories which not only increases capacity but provides a place for our volunteers to brush their
teeth in the morning beside their own house! Having water available at the point at which it is
needed not only reduces wastage but makes our lives much easier, meaning we can focus more of
our effort on what we're here to do, which is looking after the wildlife alongside our partners at the
Seychelles National Parks Authority.

Overall the improvements are going to have a long term impact on our resource use, water security,
the efficiency of the expedition, and further reduce our environmental footprint on this spectacular
island.

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