According to Joyce Beouch, BWA coordinator, the state’s governor, Florencio Adelbai and members of the 7th Ngchesar State Council (NSC) had introduced and adopted a resolution (NSC Resolution No. 7-46-9) proclaiming their desire to protect and preserve Ngchesar’s water sources and resources; and NSC ratified its intent for Ngchesar State to become a member of BWA.
BWA is an alliance of Babeldaob states dedicated and committed to the protection and preservation of water and its sources. BWA was established in 2006 and has since grown. The mission of the BWA is to “protect, conserve, and restore the water resources of Babeldaob through collaborative outreach, education, networking, science, information sharing, and technical assistance by and for the communities of the island.” BWA aims to ensure that the watersheds within Babeldaob are protected; thus, ensuring that the water quantity and quality are maintained at their best possible.Full-fledged BWA member states are Ngaremlengui, Melekeok, Ngiwal, Aimeliik, and Ngardmau. Ngchesar, upon the Master Cooperative Agreement (MCA) with BWA, becomes the 6th allied state.Beouch said BWA steering committee and Governor Adelbai organized and scheduled the signing of the MCA to coincide with other significant official state events – Capital Improvement Projects ground-breaking activities – to minimize cost.Moreover, members of BWA Steering Committee, Governor Leilani Reklai of Aimeliik State, Governor Akiko Sugiyama of Ngardmau State were on hand to witness the signing of the MCA between Ngchesar and BWA.“Ngchesar in now one of BWA’s allied states. We hope for all of the Babeldaob states to become members of BWA,” Beouch said. “Water, as many have said, knows no boundaries. It falls and runs on Babeldaob as it pleases – from state to state. Allying all the states allows us to put binds on water and claim it ours to protect and conserve.”
