The following study by Mr Furness is his summation of these labours of three years. It is a valuable document for future water management in Tonga and testimony to his professional dedication and his commitment to the Tongan people.
Project implementation of Pacific HYCOS activities in Tonga had been delayed since Oct
2008 due to difficulties within MLSNR to obtain operational budget and support for proposed
monitoring activities. It had been proposed that MLSNR undertake the regular joint
monitoring activities proposed for Mataki’eua and develop water resource analysis and
reporting skills as well as make improvements to the existing database including inclusion of
paper records and review identified anomalies as well as backup to Tideda.
Post TC Gital Water Quality Assessment - 'Eua
This report describes the drilling program undertaken during November and December 1997 in the
Pangai – Hihifo and Koulo areas on the island of Lifuka. The purpose of the program was to:
* install seven water salinity monitoring boreholes;
* provide additional training for the Ministry of Works (MOW) drilling crew in the methods used in
the installation of the monitoring system used in this program; and
* instruct the local Tonga Water Board (TWB) staff in monitoring procedures.
Most of the 3000 inhabitants of Lifuka live in four contiguous
villages and have been supplied with water from a well in the middle
of the island since 1976. On commencement of operation, the water
rapidly became too salty for human consumption. The majority of the
island is low-lying and consists of highly porous, uplifted coral
limestone. Hydrogeological assessment found the fresh-water lens to be
very thin and strongly influenced by tidal mixing, sea level changes and
drought. Comparison with the morphology of Bermuda led a search for
e conuence of climate change and seismic events has created signicant environmental problems in
Lifuka, an island of 2,400 people (2011 Census) in Tonga’s Ha’apai Group. e subregion experienced an
earthquake on 3 May 2006 that measured approximately 7.9 on the Richter scale. It resulted in subsidence
of 23 cm of Lifuka Island, eectively creating instant sea-level rise. Erosion had already been already been a
problem on Lifuka for some decades; in the past 40 years, Lifuka has experienced signicant coastal erosion
The Australian Government’s Pacific Adaptation Strategy Assistance Program (PASAP) aims to assist the
development of evidence-based adaptation strategies to inform robust long-term national planning and
decision-making in partner countries. The primary objective of PASAP is: ‘to enhance the capacity of partner
countries to assess key vulnerabilities and risks, formulate adaptation strategies and plans and mainstream
adaptation into decision making’ (PASAP, 2011). A major output of PASAP is: ‘country-led vulnerability
In December 1998, Phase Two of the groundwater pollution study in Tonga was completed. This
Report summarises the activities undertaken to complete the study and presents the outcomes. The
Report relates to the conclusion of field studies commenced in June 1997 that were not completed at
that time due to lack of funds. Field studies, laboratory work and preparation of the results for this
completion of the Phase Two were conducted between August and December 1998
Water is essential to sustain human life. It plays a vital role in many human
activities, including industrial production, agriculture, energy, sanitation, and transportation,
in addition to sustaining ecosystems that provide valuable services to both environment and
human. Although water seems to be abundant on the planet, 97% of the Earth’s water is
seawater, making it unfit for most human uses. Of the remaining 3%, 87% is inaccessible,
either locked in polar icecaps or in deep underground aquifers. Thus, only 0.4% of all of the
Active participation from people is key to the success
of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
The purpose of these guidelines is to support
government departments and organisations in
mobilising people towards IWRM.
Active participation from people is key to the success
of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
The purpose of these guidelines is to support
government departments and organisations in
mobilising people towards IWRM.
This preamble is a synopsis of the material contained in the Tonga Water Supply Master Plan Executive Summary Report.
Access to safe drinking water is a basic need and is one of the most important contributors to public health and to the economic health of communities. Pacific island countries have yet to overcome the challenge of providing a safe and adequate supply of drinking water to its populations. Infectious, waterborne diseases, such as Typhoid and Cholera and newly emerging pathogens are a major cause of morbidity and mortality within the Pacific region.
This report describes a drilling program, undertaken over two visits in late 1996 and April-May
1997 at and near Mataki’eua on the island of Tongatapu. The purpose of the program was to
install seven water salinity monitoring holes, one production hole and provide training to drillers at
the Ministry of Works.
Funded by the European Union (UN) Disaster Risk Reduction Project in Eight Pacific
ACP States (B-Envelope) and implemented by the Applied Geosciences and
Technology (SOPAC) Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), this
project is worked closely with Tonga’s Ministry of Lands, Environment, Climate Change
and Natural Resources (MLECCNR) to of 6 new investigative and Salinity Monitoring
Bores (SMB's) across Tongatapu which is outlined in this report. These new
An analysis is made of the groundwater resources of Tongatapu Island. The Ghyben-Herzberg approximation is used to estimate thicknesses of a fresh-water lens floating on seawater. Finite-difference calculations are used to estimate rainfall recharge rates, and calculations are made to investigate the dispersion of chloride ions across the fresh-water-sale-water interface. These calculations suggest that artificial recharge might be useful devise to control chloride concentrations in the fresh-water aquifier.