This report acts as a background paper on the current status of wastewater and sanitation in Tonga.
It was based on an independent review of available literature and stakeholder consultations
conducted from 4 – 8 August (refer to annex 1 for agencies/representatives consulted).
Groundwater availability in relation to water demands in Tongatapu.
The mission specifically focused on the issue of sustained available water resources for
the water supply of Nuku’alofa and the consequences of using scarce groundwater
resources for irrigation of crops.
The mission has built on research of the Government of Tonga often supported by the
South Pacific Commission (SPC), ADB, EU and bilateral donors.
Over the past 40 years, investigations in Tongatapu have identified a number of natural and
human-related factors that increase or have the potential to increase the vulnerability of fresh
groundwater sources. Some of these studies have suggested strategies to lessen impacts and
improve resilience. This project builds on the considerable weight of those results as well as the
depth of local expertise and the valuable, long-term record of monitoring. Our aim here is to
Fangauta Lagoon is the most important water
body on Tongatapu, the main island of the Tonga
group. The Lagoon occupies a central position on
Tongatapu (Fig. 1), and has played a major part in the
life of the surrounding communities, with about 30,000
people residing within its catchment. The Lagoon is a
food source for both fin (mainly mullet) and shellfish,
and is widely used for recreation. Previous studies have
investigated the ecology of the Lagoon (Zann et al.,
1984), water quality (Naidu et al., 1991; Aalbersberg
Two thirds of the population of the Kingdom of Tonga, live on the small, South Pacific raised
limestone island of Tongatapu. Groundwater is the principle source of reticulated fresh water both in
the capital Nuku’alofa and in rural villages and is sourced from a relatively thin, fresh groundwater lens
overlying seawater. This paper describes a comprehensive, integrated assessment of the vulnerability
of fresh groundwater in Tongatapu. Water resources policy and legislation, and the organisation
This report is one in a six series produced for the Tonga Water Safety Plan programme
Various reports relating to water source, groundwater, boreholes etc in Tongatapu.
Documentation on getting started with the Inform Data Portal
User guide on getting started with the Inform Data Portal
This report provides design details and costs for the proposed long-term improvements to the water supply
system at Hihifo on the island of Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga. This report was part of the demonstration project under the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) programme
The Tonga State of the Environment 2018 report has been developed to answer three key questions related
to the environment of Tonga, and is based on seven thematic areas:
• What is the current condition of the Tongan environment?
• What are the risks the Tongan environment faces and what measures have been put forward to minimise them? This could provide lessons for Tonga.
• Where is the environment of Tonga headed based on the assessed thematic areas?
As part of the development of this report, a survey was conducted of around 88% of the Hihifo residents. The
results highlighted that the future of Hihifo’s water supply requires the integration of rainwater and public water
supply system.
pdf of Tonga State of Environment Report 2018 - lower resolution version best for viewing on computer.
Tonga State of Environment Report 2018 - high resolution version best for print.
6 page summary of the full SoE. Includes some updated information.
This dataset hosts 31 individual environmental indicator assessments that are in the **State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands : 2020 Regional report.**
Regional indicators are used to understand the current status of conservation in the region and to establish a process for periodic reviews of the status of biodiversity and implementation of environmental management measures in the Pacific islands region.
Each Pacific regional indicator is assessed with regard to:
DEFINITION : Trend in consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS)
PURPOSE : Tracks countries progress to phasing out ODS. Ozone depleting substances destroy the earth’s ozone which protects the earth from UV radiation
DESIRED OUTCOME : Negative trend in ODS consumption
DEFINITION : Trend in percentage production of energy from renewable sources
PURPOSE : Energy generation is a major source of GHG emissions. Pacific island countries also have limited capacity for oil and gas storage and are therefore highly vulnerable to fluctuations in fossil fuel price and availability
DESIRED OUTCOME : Positive trend in energy production from renewable sources
DEFINITION : Annual per capita generation of municipal solid waste
PURPOSE : Accurate measurement of per capita waste generation for better waste management
DESIRED OUTCOME : Stabilisation and subsequent negative trend in household waste generated