Nearly 200,000 residents living along the Suva-Nausori corridor will face water disruptions starting at midnight tonight and lasting until Sunday, due to scheduled maintenance by the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF).
In light of this, the ministries of health and education are implementing measures to ensure that essential services remain uninterrupted.
Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro announced that discussions with WAF officials will take place today regarding alternative water supply options for affected schools.
“Following the meeting, we will release a statement and provide schools with strategies to cope,” stated Radrodro. “Closing schools will only be considered as a last resort.”
Similarly, Minister for Health Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu confirmed that plans are in place to ensure medical services continue without interruption. “We are aware of the water disruptions this weekend,” he stated. “We have developed a plan with medical facilities and CWM Hospital to maintain normal services, so the public should not be worried.”
WAF has advised residents to store enough water for three days and assured them that water carting services will be available for any urgent needs.
WAF Chief Operating Officer Seru Soderberg explained that the maintenance is essential for connecting a new DN900mm gravity main from the Waitolu reservoir to the existing DN600mm Rising Main from the Waila water treatment plant, which supplies the Wainibuku reservoir.
“This operation will cause only one of the three pipelines to the Wainibuku reservoir to be offline, decreasing the total water flow to 60% of its regular capacity,” Soderberg noted. He added that the work will occur under challenging conditions, including a high-water table, making it a complicated task.
“The 600mm pipeline will be shut down at midnight on Thursday to allow it to be de-watered before work begins early Friday morning,” he said. Soderberg acknowledged the disruption’s inconvenience but stressed the importance of the maintenance to avoid future complications.
“We apologize for the inconvenience and assure the public that we are working to complete the maintenance as quickly as possible, weather permitting.” Residents are encouraged to plan ahead and remain informed through WAF’s media channels for updates on the situation.