Residents of Suva are being warned to prepare for irregularities in their water supply. The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) has reported that five out of six raw water sources feeding the Tamavua Treatment Plant are nearing critical levels, a situation worsened by the upcoming dry season.
Samuela Rokolaveusa, WAF’s regional operations manager, indicated that the Savura Intake and Headwork Three had reached critical status, while Headwork One, Headwork Two, and the Waimanu Pump Station were also not far behind. He noted that the cascade source remains the only major raw water source functioning normally.
Rokolaveusa explained that during this period, areas dependent on the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant may experience intermittent water supply, as operations will hinge on the levels of treated water production. He highlighted that rainfall in the catchment areas has been low recently, leading to decreased treated water production and struggling reservoir levels at Tamavua.
Furthermore, he pointed out that the weather forecast for the next three months appears unfavorable, with no strong signs of wet conditions anticipated across most parts of Fiji. The diminishing raw water sources directly affect water production efforts, resulting in depleted reservoir levels. This situation will further hinder the restoration of continuous 24/7 water supply to higher regions served by the Tamavua system.
Rokolaveusa assured that the WAF hydrology team is closely monitoring the main raw water sources. In light of these challenges, WAF is urging customers to be mindful of their water usage and to store sufficient water to last at least two days for their households.