Twenty-three houses in Nagigi, Labasa, have been enduring a severe water supply issue for the past four weeks, amplifying residents’ challenges during the dry season.
Jamila Bi, a 65-year-old sugarcane farmer and one of the area’s oldest residents, expressed her concerns. She highlighted that the lack of water has severely impacted their ability to carry out essential farm work.
“We haven’t been able to hire labourers to harvest our cane because there’s no water supply,” she said.
The ongoing water crisis underscores 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.
She also mentioned that her extended family of 11 members, including schoolchildren, faces significant struggles due to the lack of water.
Her son, Firoz Ali, stated 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 request, their water supply issues remain unresolved.
“It has been more than a week since we first reported the issue,” Mr. Ali said. “When I mentioned that I would inform the minister, they asked me not to and promised that they would supply water today. However, there has still been no response.”
“The 23 houses are located about 15 kilometers from Labasa Town, and most of us are farmers. It’s frustrating that we are not receiving support from the Government,” he added.
Mr. Ali mentioned that they have been raising this issue with the WAF for many years, and have requested an alternative water source. The current supply comes from a catchment at Mateniwai in Macuata, established as a community project in 1977.
His neighbor, Asilika Marama, said she used to fetch water from a nearby well, which has since 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 explained. “My husband has to walk to the main road to get water from the next-door community.”
Another resident, Komal Sharma, stated that their livelihood depends on sugarcane farming, and managing to send two children to Nagigi Primary School without a reliable water supply has been a struggle.
“I would like to request the Government to 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 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 need 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 provides once every two weeks upon request is not enough,” Mr. Hussein said. “We have written numerous letters to the relevant authorities asking them to address our plight, but we have received no answers.”
An email was sent to the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) to clarify the problems faced by Nagigi residents and to ask for help, but no response had been received by the time of publication last night.