Infrastructure Minister Jone Usamate says 98 per cent of people in urban areas have access to clean and safe drinking water.
Mr Usamate was responding to a question in Parliament on Government’s progress in targeting 100 per cent access to clean water in urban areas by 2021.
“Even though we continue to provide new water connections to the customers daily, there are still ongoing connections for people in the urban areas, but that is the latest assessment by Water Authority of Fiji,” he said.
When asked by Opposition MP Aseri Radrodro on what was being done about the remaining 2 per cent who don’t have access to clean water, Mr Usamate said the project had been affected by issues such as urbanisation and natural disasters.
“One hundred per cent is not a static target, but a moving target as population continues to rise, and now we have COVID-19, and we have had cyclones and floods.
“All the money had to be diverted away from existing projects to address those issues.”
He said despite these challenges, Government remained committed to 100 per cent access to clean water for urban areas by the end of 2021.
“Given the resources that we have and the economic situation, it might take a bit more time, but my target is still on.”
