WATER sources in the interior of Nawaicoba on the outskirts of Nadi have started to dry up as the Super El Nino phenomenon accelerates drier conditions that is currently gripping the Western Division.
The largely sugarcane farming area has been desperately trying to manage their water supply as community boreholes begin to reach critically low levels.
Advisory councillor Umesh Narayan says several key boreholes located throughout the area have reached critical levels while others have completely drained.
“One of our big sugarcane farmers has two boreholes on his property and they both have no water,” said Mr Narayan.
“I have one on my farm and people are starting to come home to ask for water.”
He said residents had water tanks that were also slowly depleting.
“A lot of the farms have one or two 10,000 litre water tanks.
“Our biggest concern is if this supply runs out, where else can we get water from?
“The streams near our farms are drying up too.”
Mr Narayan said residents were heavily reliant on carted water from the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF).
“They are doing their best. Even though the trucks come a few days later, it is coming and hopefully we can survive on that during this dry weather.”
In August, Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau issued a national warning for careful water use as the dry season continues.
He said WAF would be supplementing stressed sources through additional pumping, increase source monitoring, manage pressure and pumping schedules, accelerate repair of leaks and burst mains, and deploy water carting where it is needed.
