The newly inaugurated Nagado water treatment plant, costing $8.34 million, is set to benefit 38,810 households in Nadi, according to Minister for Public Works, Transport, and Meteorological Service, Ro Filipe Tuisawau.
During his visit to various new government-funded project sites in the west, Ro Filipe highlighted the plant’s incorporation of modern technologies. He stated, “The new water treatment plant employs advanced technologies that allow processing and critical data to be monitored from Lautoka and Suva.”
Ro Filipe emphasized the significance of these updated technologies, noting their role in evaluating the required amount of water usage. “It is crucial to have modern technologies in place for water monitoring, as they provide data that helps determine household, farm, and industrial water usage, enabling us to plan accordingly,” he said.
He stressed the importance of matching development with available resources to avoid future environmental issues. “Our resources are limited, so we must ensure that our development projects align with the resources we have, preventing major environmental problems down the line.”
Currently, there are ongoing construction works on the pipeline from Varaqe to Saru in Lautoka, and the Nagado water treatment plant to Nadele in Nadi. These projects are expected to be completed by December this year.
Ro Filipe pointed out the necessity of sustainable development in Nadi and Lautoka due to the increasing requirements for water by new hotels, industrial areas, subdivisions, and other developments. “Sustainable development is crucial, as we need to balance the amount of water we can extract with the number of developments, ensuring they meet the availability of water, land, and other resources.”
In conclusion, he asserted, “It is critical to balance development with available resources.”