ABOUT THE PROJECT
In January 2022, the volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted. Most humanitarian needs were quickly met but access to clean drinking water remained the biggest issue. At the time the Kingdom of Tonga was locked down due to COVID-19, so providing water treatment infrastructure was difficult. Moerk Water was contracted by Unicef to deliver two solar powered seawater desalination systems. The automated units are constructed from durable materials and are easy to use. Moerk Water has a product line for disaster response and always has some units in stock. Due to this, within a week of being asked to deliver the two units, Moerk Water had tested, preserved and shipped the two water treatment units to Tonga. Moerk Water has created a bespoke training program for the daily operators and is working with Unicef Tonga to ensure the longevity of the water treatment systems.
Project Outcomes:
- Following the eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai in 2022, Moerk Water was able to ship two community seawater desalination units within a week as part of the disaster response
- Tonga was under lockdown at the time due to COVID-19 making delivery to the port of Nuku’alofa difficult
- The two units are currently being installed on remote islands in the Kingdom of Tonga
- Moerk Water is currently training the staff at Unicef to oversee the provision of the water treatment units
