The outer islands of the Maldives experiences drinking water shortages during the dry season. These shortages have had significant adverse human, environmental and social impacts on the outer island communities where 27% of population lives under the poverty line of US$2/per day. The key problems pertaining to freshwater security relate to the increasingly variable rainfall patterns induced by climate change and sea-level rise induced salinity of groundwater. As confirmed by the IPCC and RIMES reports, sea level rise of 3.1mm/year and decreasing rainfall amounts will considerably compound current water stress in the country. The Government faces constraints in responding to the challenge at hand without assistance, especially in the context of anticipated impacts of climate change. Firstly, the precarious fiscal status that confronts the Government limits the response options to this emerging crisis to largely reactive emergency measures. Longer-term solutions, without additional financial support, are out of reach. Secondly, a dispersed and small population on 186 islands prevents the possibility of economies of scale in providing water and sanitation services, including capital infrastructure.In response to this climate challenge, the proposed project objective is to deliver safe and secure freshwater to 105,000 people in the islands of Maldives in the face of climate change risks. This will be achieved by delivering the following results:a.Scaling up an integrated water supply system to provide safe water to vulnerable households;b.Introduction of decentralized and cost-effective dry season water supply systems; c.Groundwater quality improved to secure freshwater reserves for long term resilience. The proposed adaptation solution is to maximize water production and scale up the use of an integrated water supply system that will bring three primary sources of water (rainwater, groundwater and desalinated water) into a least cost delivery system that is able to maintain service levels in the face of climate change related pressures. A paradigm shift will be achieved by addressing the main barriers to implementing integrated water supply systems (cost recovery; management capacity; and institutional mandates, coordination and policy direction). Replication potential is high considering the legislative mandate to provide clean water in the 2008 Constitution of the country. The project is based on national priorities and has been endorsed by the National Designated Authority for Maldives.