1.2.12 Water resource ownership Water resource ownership remains a difficult and contentious issue. The traditional view of groundwater ownership is that landholders have rights over the groundwater. Land on most islands is exclusively owned by individuals. The government only owns land in Kiritimati, and has long-term leases in areas of Betio and Bairiki in South Tarawa. Harvesting of groundwater for community use, particularly external communities some distance away, therefore presents problems. The traditional view of water ownership colours people's opinions and is a strong element in the reluctance of people to pay for reticulated water. Because there is no national water legislation dealing with water ownership, it will remain a contentious issue. Some villages seek to restrict access to groundwater resources, to control distribution and demand compensation for restrictions on land use. The declaration of water reserves with restricted access rights is problematic. It has not been successful on South Tarawa and several reserves I have had to be abandoned due to encroachment by settlements. Declaration of reserves generates conflicts with landowners and causes others to see the reserve as a free resource for harvesting trees, raising pigs and mining gravel. A practical and equitable solution to this issue is urgently required.