Twenty-three houses in Nagigi, Labasa, have been facing a severe water supply issue for the past four weeks, exacerbating residents’ struggles during this dry season.
Jamila Bi, a 65-year-old sugarcane farmer and one of the oldest residents in the area, expressed her concerns, noting that the lack of water has significantly impacted their ability to conduct essential farm work.
“We haven’t been able to hire laborers to harvest our cane because there’s no water supply,” she said.
The ongoing water crisis highlights the urgent need for solutions to address the seasonal shortages affecting the community.
“Water is a basic necessity for everyone, and as an employer, I am unable to provide it for my workers. How can I ask them to work under these conditions?” Ms. Bi questioned.
“Our extended family of 11 members, including schoolchildren, faces significant struggles because of this lack of water.”
Her son, Firoz Ali, mentioned that on July 21, he contacted the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) to request a water cart for their household and was assigned request number 2246649. Despite this, their water supply issues remain unresolved.
“It has been more than a week since we first reported the issue. When I threatened to inform the minister, they asked me not to and promised that they would supply water today. However, there has still been no response,” Mr. Ali said.
“The 23 houses are located about 15km from Labasa Town, and most of us are farmers. It’s frustrating that we are not receiving support from the Government.”
He added that they have been highlighting this issue to the WAF for many years and have requested a different water source.
The current water supply comes from a catchment at Mateniwai in Macuata, established as a community project in 1977.
Neighbor Asilika Marama said she used to fetch water from a nearby well, but it has dried up.
“I have to send two children to school and look after my three-year-old girl who is still in diapers,” Ms. Marama said.
“My husband has to walk to the main road to get water from the nearby community.”
Another resident, Komal Sharma, mentioned that their livelihood depends on sugarcane farming, and managing to send two children to Nagigi Primary School without a reliable water supply has been challenging.
“I would like to request the Government to at least consider the impact on our children who are going to school,” Ms. Sharma said. “We don’t live far from Labasa Town.”
“If WAF could take the time to investigate the issues with the catchment and inform us about alternative ways to get water, it would be greatly appreciated.”
Sameer Hussein and Razil Hussein, two brothers from Nagigi, emphasized that the community’s church, temple, and mosque all deserve a reliable water supply.
“They believe that ensuring access to water at these places of worship is essential for the community to continue their regular prayer programs. The 2000 liters of water that WAF gives every two weeks upon request from us is not enough,” Mr. Hussein said.
“We have written many letters to the relevant authorities asking them to look into our plight over so many years, but we remain unanswered.”
An email was sent to the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) to clarify the problems faced by Nagigi residents and to ask for help. No response had been received by the time of publication last night.