More than 90 households in Gusuisavu Village, Tailevu, now have improved access to clean and reliable water after the recent completion of a borehole and upgraded water infrastructure that gives the community three independent water sources. Village leaders say the project significantly strengthens water security for residents, the local school and surrounding settlements that have long battled shortages.
For generations Gusuisavu relied on a single dam built by their forefathers. As the village population expanded, that sole source became increasingly strained, forcing some families to collect untreated water from nearby rivers during dry spells. The new development — a drilled borehole coupled with distribution upgrades — provides an alternative supply that village officials say will reduce those risky trips and the pressure on the original dam.
Village Headman Navitalai Matanawa welcomed the improvement and publicly thanked the government, the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources, the Water Authority of Fiji and other project partners for addressing a long-standing community need. “This project has brought much relief to our people,” Matanawa said, noting that women and children, who traditionally shoulder the burden of fetching water, are the primary beneficiaries of steadier supplies close to home.
Government officials involved in the project said the additional sources are expected to boost health and sanitation outcomes in the village by ensuring cleaner, more consistent water for drinking, cooking and hygiene. The upgraded system will also support the nearby school and provide a more sustainable foundation for future growth, officials added, without specifying the project cost or exact completion date.
Gusuisavu’s upgrade is the latest local example of efforts to expand water services beyond urban centres. Recent months have seen a series of regional and community-level initiatives — from community-funded meter projects to larger Water Authority of Fiji programs — aimed at tackling chronic shortages and network losses in other parts of the country. Advocates have repeatedly highlighted how rural communities, and particularly women and children, bear the brunt when water supplies falter.
Local leaders hope the multi-source approach will buffer the village against seasonal variability and infrastructure outages. With three water points now in place, maintenance or temporary issues affecting one source should have less immediate impact on households’ day-to-day water needs.
While the project marks a practical win for Gusuisavu, community representatives say ongoing support will be necessary to maintain the new infrastructure and extend similar improvements to neighbouring areas still reliant on limited or unreliable supplies. For now, villagers are celebrating the end of frequent shortages and the prospect of safer, easier access to water.