Climate Change Resilience
While having access to water may seem a basic human right for some, for the six villages of the Upper Hihifo District in Tongatapu, Tonga having access to water was a struggle, until now that is.
The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) Project in Tonga has brought about a new water supply system for over 2,000 residents in Hihifo which was launched in Tonga by His Majesty, King Tupou VI.
The special event was attended by Lord Ma'afu Tukui'aulahi, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Dr. 'Aisake Eke, Minister of Finance and National Planning, H.E Mr. Brett Aldam the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga and Mr. David Sheppard, Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
"PACC is leading the way in developing practical adaptation projects, based on country priorities, and comprehensive site assessments and economic analysis," said Mr. Sheppard.
"The Government of Tonga selected this project in the Hihifo District to strengthen the capacity to supply and store water and to better able to manage the demand and use of water."
Before the work of the PACC project 95% of the village population received water supply with low water pressure providing water only in the mornings and at night. As the Hihifo District also has four tourist beach resorts the village supply is suspended to enable the resorts to fill their reservoir tanks.
Over a five year duration the Hihifo District have carried out a number of different activities to ensure that all residents now have access to water at all times of the day. This ability to have water stored and supplied continuously for the area will prove a resilience measure against long drought periods facing Tonga now and the future.
Monitoring and production boreholes have been drilled, new pipelines and pipes laid, water meters for each household and water metering has been installed, new solar and diesel powered pumps supplied, 10,000 litre water tanks have been installed in 30 selected households, three storage water tanks that can hold 45,000 litres have been installed at ground level and an overhead tank that can hold 22,500 litres has also been put in place. These large water tanks will act as reservoirs.
PACC in Tonga also strengthened the Tonga National Water Policy and is currently submitting a National Water Bill for considerations.
"A wise Pacific leader once said: 'if you want to go fast you go alone; if you want to go far you go together'. On the Hihifo project, the Governments of Tonga and Australia, along with SPREP and UNDP have 'all gone together to go far' and we can clearly see the results today."
The total funding for the Tonga PACC Project was just over USD 2,450,000. Working in 14 Pacific island countries, the programme is demonstrating best-practice adaptation in three key climate-sensitive areas: coastal zone management, food security and food production, and water resources management. Each country is hosting a pilot project in one of these theme areas to demonstrate how climate change adaptation can work on the ground.
It is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Australian Government, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as its implementing agency and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) as implementing partner. The Project is supported by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) C3D+programme.
The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) Project in Tonga has brought about a new water supply system for over 2,000 residents in Hihifo which was launched in Tonga by His Majesty, King Tupou VI.
Image (c) Tonga Daily News. Used with permission.
The special event was attended by Lord Ma'afu Tukui'aulahi, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Dr. 'Aisake Eke, Minister of Finance and National Planning, H.E Mr. Brett Aldam the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga and Mr. David Sheppard, Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
"PACC is leading the way in developing practical adaptation projects, based on country priorities, and comprehensive site assessments and economic analysis," said Mr. Sheppard.
"The Government of Tonga selected this project in the Hihifo District to strengthen the capacity to supply and store water and to better able to manage the demand and use of water."
Before the work of the PACC project 95% of the village population received water supply with low water pressure providing water only in the mornings and at night. As the Hihifo District also has four tourist beach resorts the village supply is suspended to enable the resorts to fill their reservoir tanks.
Over a five year duration the Hihifo District have carried out a number of different activities to ensure that all residents now have access to water at all times of the day. This ability to have water stored and supplied continuously for the area will prove a resilience measure against long drought periods facing Tonga now and the future.
Monitoring and production boreholes have been drilled, new pipelines and pipes laid, water meters for each household and water metering has been installed, new solar and diesel powered pumps supplied, 10,000 litre water tanks have been installed in 30 selected households, three storage water tanks that can hold 45,000 litres have been installed at ground level and an overhead tank that can hold 22,500 litres has also been put in place. These large water tanks will act as reservoirs.
Image (c) Tonga Daily News. Used with permission.
"A wise Pacific leader once said: 'if you want to go fast you go alone; if you want to go far you go together'. On the Hihifo project, the Governments of Tonga and Australia, along with SPREP and UNDP have 'all gone together to go far' and we can clearly see the results today."
The total funding for the Tonga PACC Project was just over USD 2,450,000. Working in 14 Pacific island countries, the programme is demonstrating best-practice adaptation in three key climate-sensitive areas: coastal zone management, food security and food production, and water resources management. Each country is hosting a pilot project in one of these theme areas to demonstrate how climate change adaptation can work on the ground.
It is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Australian Government, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as its implementing agency and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) as implementing partner. The Project is supported by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) C3D+programme.