Construction work under the Colo-i-Suva water supply program is progressing and is expected to be completed by December this year to mid-January next year with commissioning scheduled for February, says Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) chief executive officer Seru Soderberg.
He said the project, which began in 2025, scheduled for one-year, six-month, with contractors starting physical works in November.
Pipeline installation is currently underway in the Colo-i-Suva area, while designs for a new pump station and reservoirs are being finalised.
He said the project included the construction of two reservoirs with a capacity of five million litres each.
Cabinet, earlier endorsed the partial surrender of the Colo-i-Suva forestry reserve, to allow for the development.
The upgrade is aimed at improving and increasing water service delivery capacity for communities between Sawani and Tacirua.
Mr Soderberg said the infrastructure would help reduce pressure on the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant by about nine million litres per day, transferring that demand to another system and improving overall reliability.
He said communities along the Upper Princess Rd Ridgeline were typically the first to lose water during high turbidity events at the treatment plant, and the new infrastructure is designed to ensure they receive water more quickly once services are restored.
“That will ensure improved reliability of services not only to those in Delainavesi but Vugalei, down Lami Town and all the way through to Togalevu Naval Base.”
“It will give us some capacity to also extend our services.”
He said the authority expected the project to strengthen storage capacity and improve water supply reliability, particularly during periods of adverse weather.
