The Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau said the costs for carting water has been rising significantly over the past three financial years.
He has provided Parliament with a detailed response to a written question from Opposition MP Jone Usamate regarding the ongoing use of water carting services in Fiji.
Mr Tuisawau presented data showing that the cost of water carting services has increased significantly over the past three financial years, reflecting the severity and frequency of supply disruptions.
In the 2021/2022 year, $4.90 million was used, 2022-2023 financial year saw $8.33 million usage and in 2023-2024, $7.46 million was utilized.
“These increases mirror the heightened severity of climate-related events, such as prolonged droughts and high turbidity affecting water treatment systems,” he said.
The Minister noted that the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) engages between 40 to 50 contracted water trucks at any given time during supply disruptions.
Additionally, 29 vehicles are deployed weekly to non-metered and rural communities to ensure continued access to clean water.
“This scale of deployment ensures critical water access continuity for our most vulnerable populations,” he said.
Minister Tuisawau confirmed that all contractor payments for water carting services are now processed electronically through bank-to-bank transfers, aligning with government efforts to modernise public financial management.
“This digital approach has eliminated the use of cheques and significantly reduced delays in payment,” he stated.
“Water carting remains an emergency measure,” he said.
“The Authority continues to invest in long-term infrastructure resilience and treatment plant upgrades to reduce over-reliance on this costly and reactive intervention.”
