Over 4,000 residents in Navua are facing the possibility of being without tap water for at least three weeks due to a burst main. A significant hole, measuring 24 millimeters, was discovered in an asbestos cement pipe submerged under 1.8 meters of water in the Wainikavika irrigation dam, just outside Navua Town.
District Officer for Navua, Seremaia Tuiteci, has communicated with the Ministry of Primary Industries regarding the potential opening of the dam gates, which hold three million cubic meters of water. Tuiteci noted that repair work would commence as soon as the damaged pipes are exposed.
The disruption to the water supply has prompted local school headteachers to consider an early holiday for students if the issue is not resolved within a week. Prithi Raj, headteacher at Vashist Muni Primary School, has already closed the school for sanitary reasons, as some residents have been without water for several days.
To tackle this crisis, the Public Works Department (PWD) will also be laying 1.5 kilometers of galvanized pipe along a new route. While the crack has been located, Tuiteci warned that the repair process will still take approximately three weeks. He emphasized that this situation will be leveraged to repair the entire pipeline to avoid future water supply issues that Navua has historically encountered.
Local residents have expressed frustration with the situation, suggesting that regular maintenance of the pipes could have averted the current water crisis. They pointed out that the tap water system was installed in 1954, accommodating a much smaller population, which has nearly quintupled to around 5,000 residents over the last 36 years, while the infrastructure has remained largely unchanged.
In response to the immediate water needs, officers from the Navua District Emergency Services Committee will oversee the distribution of water via road tankers. Tuiteci acknowledged complaints from residents about inconsistent water truck deliveries and assured that EMSEC personnel would ensure fair distribution among all affected areas. Eight trucks from Suva Water Supply are currently working to deliver water, but many families along the Navua River have resorted to using the river for bathing and laundry while relying on water trucks for drinking water.
This incident serves as a critical reminder of the importance of maintaining vital infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of a growing population. With proactive measures now being implemented, there is hope that this challenge will not only be addressed promptly but will also lead to improvements in the water supply system that will benefit Navua’s residents for years to come.
Leave a comment