Advisory councillor Indar Deo Bisun paints a worrying picture about the water supply challenges residents of Sakoca, Tamavua, Khalsa Rd, and Newtown face daily.
It seems accessing clean water is a struggle. And it has been a struggle for a few years now.
He claims it has gone worse since November 2022. He speaks from experience because he has faced the challenges himself over the years.
There have been incidents, he said, when people in these areas were without tap water for weeks.
He talks about low pressure when water runs, and he talks about options offered by the Water Authority of Fiji.
Mr Bisun said WAF had installed more than 10 communal water tanks in his area, but these have not solved the problem they face daily.
We acknowledge the fact that while it is an attempt to address the situation residents face, it seems the measures are not meeting expectations.
The tanks, he suggests, just aren’t enough to meet the demands of a population that is around 70,000.
He talks about Sakoca alone, having more than 15,000 people.
“Nukuboco Settlement has more than 2000 people, Khalsa Rd has more than 5000 people, Kali Place has more than 2000 people,” he pointed out.
It gives us a sense of the number of people involved, the challenges they face and the effort needed to meet their needs.
We note the actions by WAF to provide some semblance of order and normalise water supply.
We call for some urgency to address the situation. There must be a comprehensive and effective response that considers all the factors residents have raised as well as the challenges they face daily.
We note the emphasis on infrastructure development and the need for a solution that caters for the affected population. It’s a message that cannot be ignored. Water is essential. It is a basic necessity!
The question is do we have the will to address the concerns of these affected residents, urgently!
They have been forced to live with this for years. The onus is on the powers that be to do something about it.
Recent water cuts in other parts of the Capital City and Nasinu, and in Ba, certainly did not do WAF any favours. We realise there is the issue of old infrastructure.
Outdated they may be, the issue here is supply and expectation. A demand and a need, on top of supply. There is frustration, and there is concern.
There will be anger, and a sense of loss for some! But we need a long term solution, one that is sustainable with adequate infrastructure investment!
